Cherry clafoutis is a timeless French dessert that captures the fleeting joy of cherry season, typically peaking in June. With trees heavy with fruit, you've got options: preserve them in syrup for winter treats, brandied cherries if they're tart Montmorency or morello varieties (with quality alcohol), or freeze after destemming—the stems make a soothing tea for urinary tract issues once dried.
Hailing from Limousin, where cherry orchards abound, this dessert uses humble farmhouse staples like those in a classic flan. Tradition calls for unpitted cherries: the pits infuse subtle almond notes into the batter and prevent juicy cherries from making it soggy, keeping the signature chewy texture. (Note: Cherries can be pricey at markets, unlike in orchard country.)
Butter a porcelain tart dish generously with a portion of the butter.
Wash cherries, remove stems, and arrange them to cover the base evenly.
In a bowl, whisk flour, caster sugar, vanilla sugar, and baking powder. Add eggs and milk, then stir in melted butter (microwave briefly or heat gently on stovetop). For soft butter, add a pinch of salt instead.
The batter should be creamy—pour over cherries. Bake at th°7 (210°C) for 10 minutes, then reduce to th°6 (180°C) for 25 minutes.
Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled, dusted with icing sugar. Optional: Splash of kirsch in the batter for cherry enhancement. Versatile too—try pears, apples, apricots, plums, peaches, rhubarb, or figs.
