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Cherry Clafoutis Classic French Dessert

Cherry clafoutis is a classic French dessert from Limousin my version features fresh cherries soaked in amaretto cooked in a sweet batter.

You can make this classic dessert with both fresh or frozen cherries, and mine cooks in individual single serving pots.

Individual cherry clafoutis desserts served in brulée pots.

Classic French Cherry Dessert

This pretty traditional French cherry clafoutis recipe is a rarity on my site. Desserts really are not my thing very often, cooking for two makes meaningful desserts a real challenge to cook.

This recipe in just the same way as my lemon meringue pie, bread and butter pudding and strawberry crumble recipes is presented in a single serving format.

The clafoutis is a super simple dessert, it is essentially cherries baked in a light batter. A better that is really similar to a sweet Yorkshire pudding batter.

I like to add a splash of amaretto almond liqueur to mine because I think that cherry and almonds are a beautiful combination. In fact, it is the starring combination in my cherry bakewell recipe.

It is the perfect dessert as far as I am concerned. It is really indulgent but not too sweet and uses what I consider to be the finest of summer fruits.

Overhead individual cherry clafoutis desserts served in brulée pots.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when the clafoutis is cooked?

The batter or custard as it is sometimes called should be quite light and still have a little wobble when it is cooked. So pull it out of the oven shelf and give it a shake.

If you overcook it then it does have a tendency to go a little ‘hockey puck’esque’.

Do I have to use Amaretto?

No not at all, there are many liqueurs that would work really well. Limoncello, Kirsch, Frangelico and Cointreau are the ones I have tried that taste great, all in the name of research obviously!

You can also skip the alcohol altogether and the recipe will still taste great.

Can I use frozen cherries?

Yes, although fresh cherries are the best. You will need to defrost and drain frozen cherries before you make your clafoutis.

What is the best way to pit cherries?

For small batches like this then an olive or cherry pitter is the easiest way to remove the stone. I personally use a firm set of tweezers and place them where the stalk meets the cherry, grab the stone and pull.

Much is written about pushing a straw or chopstick into the cherry and having the stone pop out the bottom. I personally find this technique the least reliable and really quite a faff.

Spoon taken from an individual cherry clafoutis dessert.

Serving Suggestions

First of all, it is important to mention the serving pots for this cherry clafoutis recipe.

I use 11cm brulée pots that hold 230ml of water, almost a cup (240ml) for my US readers. They are made by Emile Henry a really well-known global brand so you should be able to check them out they cost around £10 or $15 for two.

I love serving my cherry clafoutis with vanilla ice cream. I adore that hot and cold dessert thing, I also use it in my sticky toffee pudding recipe.

Other wonderful additions are a nice dollop of chantily cream or a nice bit of crème anglaise, or custard as I call it.

Spoonful taken from an individual cherry clafoutis dessert.

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Oven.
  • 2 x 11cm brulée bowls, I use two made by Emile Henry.
  • Baking tray.
  • Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
  • Cherry pitter or similar device.
  • Mixing bowl.
  • Whisk.
Individual fresh cherry clafoutis dessert.
Yield: 2 Servings

Cherry Clafoutis Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Cherry Clafoutis is a classic French Dessert dating back to the 19th Century loaded with lovely Cherries I flavour mine with a hint of almond liqueur

Ingredients

  • 250g (~1½ Cups) Cherries
  • 2 Tbsp Amaretto
  • 2 Tbsp Soft Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Butter
  • 1 Egg
  • 50g (¼ + 1 Tbsp) Plain Flour
  • 30g (2 Tpsp) Sugar
  • 125ml (½ Cup) Milk
  • ½ Tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

  1. Pit the cherries and place in a bowl.
  2. Sprinkle over half of the brown sugar and amaretto, stir and set aside.
  3. Whisk together the sugar, flour, egg, egg, milk and vanilla to form a smooth batter.
  4. Rub the brulée bowls (see serving suggestions for more info on bowl size) with the butter to coat the inside.
  5. Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar split between the two bowls and swirly around to coat the base and sides.
  6. Split the cherries between the two bowls.
  7. Place the bowls into a preheated oven at 180°C or 350°F.
  8. Pour the batter over the cherries, this should very nearly fill both bowls.Close the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes.
  9. When ready the batter should just be turning golden and there should be a slight wobble in the centre of the batter.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 446Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 120mgCarbohydrates: 74gFiber: 3gSugar: 48gProtein: 9g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Amy Nash

Sunday 25th of March 2018

Can you believe I have never had a clafoutis?! I know! So shameful to admit, lol! I'm so making this cherry clafoutis this year with the first cherries I see at the farmer's market!

Brian Jones

Sunday 25th of March 2018

Aint no shame in it... Just fix it, like real soon, I happen to know where you can score a superb recipe :D ;)

Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

Sunday 25th of March 2018

This looks like a delicious dessert and I love the swapping of kirsch for amaretto - an inspired swap as I agree that cherries do love almonds, they are a great pairing!

Brian Jones

Sunday 25th of March 2018

Thanks Bintu!

Veena Azmanov

Sunday 25th of March 2018

Wow, this dessert looks incredibly delicious! This is so cute! I would love to eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Thank you for sharing this great recipe!

Brian Jones

Sunday 25th of March 2018

Thanks Veena, the classics are just that for a reason :)

Danielle

Sunday 25th of March 2018

My husband loves any kind of cherry dessert, so this might have to be our Easter Sunday dessert this year!

Brian Jones

Sunday 25th of March 2018

Enjoy, this one is really superb and wonderfully simple.

Emily

Sunday 25th of March 2018

This looks absolutely delicious! I can't think of anything better after a Sunday roast with a big scoop of ice cream, yum!

Brian Jones

Sunday 25th of March 2018

Thanks Emily, it certainly is a good 'un!

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