Cherry Clafoutis

I am not exaggerating when I tell you that this cherry clafoutis is far and away my most favorite summer of 2016 dessert. Now I know that summer is not over yet, and I also know that individual strawberry rhubarb galettes are pretty special, as is double chocolate zucchini cake, as well as glazed lemon poppyseed cake, and chocolate mousse. Winners all, for sure. But this cherry clafoutis? It takes the cake (bad pun intended). Like above and beyond. Think just baked/collapsed cherries suspended in a slightly sweetened almond scented custard and you’ll understand why the puns are flying.

And funnily enough, I had absolutely no intention of making cherry clafoutis this summer. But when I bought my son over a pound of cherries before he left for sleep away camp, and nary a one was eaten by the time he departed, I knew a cherry dessert was in my future. I couldn’t bear the idea of cherries (one of my favorite fruits of all time) going to waste and so began plotting how to use them up. 

Perhaps it is no surprise, that cherry clafoutis came to mind, as my instagram feed was sort of kind of exploding with pictures of them. Now, I had never made a clafoutis before, and maybe even never tasted one, a tragedy, I know, but I love a simple dessert, and a little internet research revealed that clafoutis are – above all else – super simple. Basically you make a crepe batter in a blender and pour it over lightly sweetened fruit and bake til golden and puffy. Done, done, and done, peeps, I kid you not. 

I looked here, here, here, and here, just to get my clafoutis sea-legs, and after doing so was more than prepared to go at it. And, as I have now said more times than i can count, the results were over the top. Everyone agreed (ie: me and my mom and dad) and then we ate the leftovers for breakfast for several days in a row (I kind of love eating it cold from the fridge and spooned straight from the dish it was baked in (and into my mouth) – and I tend to do this standing up, leaning against the counter, if you’re interested). So, if there is a cherry dessert in your future, might I suggest a clafoutis. You won’t be disappointed. I promise.

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cherry clafoutis

A slightly sweet almond-scented custard bursting full of juicy cherries.

Recipe Author Jessie Sheehan

Servings 12

Ingredients

• 4 rounded cups of pitted cherries about 1 1/2 pounds whole cherries
• 3 Tbsp sugar in the raw and additional for sprinkling
• 2 large eggs
• 2 yolks
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• scant 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• confectioners' sugar for dusting

Instructions

• preheat the oven to 400-degrees. spray or butter a 2 quart baking dish and set aside.
• place the cherries in a medium sized bowl, sprinkle with the 3 tablespoons of sugar in the raw and place in the prepared pan. combine the remaining ingredients in a blender (i used a vita mix) and blend til smooth (if you are worried about lumpiness, you can strain the batter - i did not).
• pour the batter over the cherries and sprinkle the top with additional sugar in the raw. place in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes til the top puffs up, the color is golden, and it is just set. let cool slightly, dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve. or, let come to room temp, and then refrigerate and eat for breakfast (or any meal that suits your fancy).