The Lazy Baker’s Dream: Classic Cherry Clafoutis
Picture this: it’s a gorgeous, sunny summer afternoon. You just came back from the farmer’s market (or, let’s be real, your local grocery store) with a massive haul glossy red cherries. You want a dessert that screams summer elegance, but you absolutely do not want to spend hours chilling pie crusts or wrestling with a rolling pin in a hot kitchen.
Enter the Cherry Clafoutis (pronounced kla-foo-tee).
It sounds deeply fancy and delightfully French, but I have a secret for you: it is secretly the easiest dessert you will make all year. If you can make pancake batter, you can make a flawless clafoutis.
Traditionally, the French leave the pits in the cherries. Why? Because as it bakes, the pits release a compound called amygdalin, which infuses the entire dessert with a subtle, natural almond flavor.
The Modern Compromise: While traditionalists insist on the pits, I value my teeth (and my guests’ teeth!). For this recipe, we are using a cherry pitter to make it completely stress-free to eat, adding a dash of vanilla extract to keep those warm, comforting flavor notes intact.
The Technique: Mastery Without the Effort
What makes a clafoutis so magical is its texture. It’s not quite a cake, and it’s not quite a pudding—it’s a glorious, soft, custardy hybrid.
The technique is delightfully simple:
- The Residual Jiggle: The biggest mistake people make is overbaking it until it’s dry and rubbery. You want to pull it out when the edges are golden and puffed, but the center still has a slight “Jell-O jiggle.”
- The Patience Test: If you cut into it hot out of the oven, it will be deliciously scoopable, but it won’t hold its shape. Letting it rest for an hour allows the proteins in the eggs and milk to set, giving you those clean, beautiful cafe-style slices.
The “I Already Have This in My Pantry” Recipe
Ready to bake? Pull out a 9-inch round baking dish and let’s get started.
The Ingredients
- For the Cherries: 3 cups fresh cherries (pitted), unsalted butter (to grease), and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
- For the Batter: 3 whole large eggs (room temp), 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons (30g) melted unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup milk, and a pinch of salt.
- Optional Finishers: Powdered sugar and whipped cream.
It’s that simple!
Dust the top with a snowy layer of powdered sugar, add a massive dollop of whipped cream, and dig into the ultimate taste of summer!
Classic Cherry Clafoutis
Created by Sue Mun
Makes one, 9 inch pie dish
Ingredients:
For the Cherries:
- 3 cups fresh cherries (pitted)
- unsalted butter (to grease the baking dish)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For the Clafoutis Batter:
- 3 whole large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
- pinch of salt
Optional Toppings:
- powdered sugar for dusting
- whipped cream
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch round baking dish with some unsalted butter.
- Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly. Set the dish aside.
- Clean the cherries and then remove the stems and pits of the cherries using a cherry pitter tool.
- Place the cherries in the prepared baking dish and toss with the 1 tbsp sugar. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, using a whisk, mix together the eggs, melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Then pour in the milk and mix again until smooth. You could also use a blender or an immersion blender to blend the batter together to achieve a smoother consistency.
- Pour the batter over the cherries in the baking dish. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the center is set and jiggles like Jell-O and the edges are golden.
- Remove from oven and let the clafoutis rest for about 1 hour before serving if you want a firm custard. You could also serve it while it’s still warm, however, it would be like a scoop able consistency and it won’t be easy to serve as slices.
- Serve with some dusting of powdered sugar and whipped cream. Enjoy!
