The Seasonal Gourmet

Clafouti (sometimes spelled ‘clafoutis’) is a classic French dessert that is usually made with eggs, flour, sugar, cream and fruit.  Is easy to put together and is a great way to use seasonal fruit.  When baked, it is like a custardy pancake. Cherries are a very traditional addition but I’ve had them with other fruit as well, including a delicious pear version.  

Many clafouti recipes call for leaving the pits in the cherries as it’s believed they add more flavour (and it’s easier for the cook). However, I recommend pitting the cherries before adding them to the batter – it’s neater to eat and you don’t have to worry about someone breaking a tooth.  To efficiently pit cherries, I finally broke down and bought a cherry pitter:

A cherry pitter

I was hesitant to get one because it’s not something I use every day and the last thing I need is more clutter in my kitchen drawers. However, it makes pitting cherries so fast and easy, it was well worth the $20 or so it cost.  You can find similar cherry pitters at most kitchen stores.  They’re also great for pitting olives.  If you don’t have a pitter, you can cut the cherries in half and pry out the pits with the tip of a knife. It’s a bit messier but it will get the job done.

This recipe makes a relatively small amount of dessert (for about 4 people) so it can be doubled if serving a larger group.

Cherry Clafouti with Almonds

Makes 4 servings

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup milk (or use 1 cup of half-and-half in place of the cream + milk)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 8 oz. pitted sweet cherries (equals about 1-1/2 cups of cherries)
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• Icing sugar for serving

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahreneheit.
2. In a medium sauce pan, add cream, milk, vanilla extract and almond extract.  Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer, making sure not to boil the mixture.  Remove from heat.
3. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, add eggs, flour, sugar and salt.  Use a fork to vigorously mix everything together until it makes a smooth paste.  Add egg mixture to the warm milk.  Stir to combine well.
4. Grease a small baking dish (with a 3 to 4 cup capacity) and pour in the batter.  Drop in the cherries and top with almond slices.
5. Bake clafouti for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top has puffed and started to brown.  Spoon out servings and top with a sprinkling of icing sugar.  Accompany with a bit of lightly sweetened cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.

Bon Appétit and Enjoy!

Cherry Clafouti with Almonds