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.

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.

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 the oven shelf and give it a shake.

If you over cook 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 ones I have tried that taste great, all in the name of research obviously!

You can also skip the alcohol all together 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 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 in where the stalk meets the cherry, grab the stone and pull.

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

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.