Cherry Clafoutis

When you hear the word Clafoutis, you think of a fancy dish that takes time and effort. That is not the case with this cherry clafoutis. It is ridiculously easy to make and will impress your friends. Think of a cross between a Dutch baby or popover and flan, with fruit embedded. The only time-consuming step is pitting the cherries. I read that some French recipes use cherries that are not pitted. My husband likes this dessert; guess what his job is. 

Life on the cove has been good. My husband still hasn’t gotten most of his taste buds back, but he is healthy and enjoying life. I haven’t been in the kitchen much because we spent July in Europe. Hopefully, I will take some time to write about it. In the meantime, I have to deal with a nasty fall. Yes, it does happen at a certain age. I am thankful that I didn't break anything, just some sore muscles, a big hematoma that turned my eyes into raccoon eyes, and some issues with my Achilles tendon. 

I consulted my French friend Marie, and she has a similar recipe. Hers is not written down. I tried several recipes that use butter and milk. They all taste great, but I stuck with the one I found in one of my cookbooks, A Little Taste of France, with recipes by Maria Villegas and Sarah Randell. 
You can use different fruits in the clafoutis, but I make it when cherries are in season. Cherries are the main attraction in this simple dessert. You could substitute vanilla paste or extract. Kirsch is a colorless German brandy made from Morello cherries; it adds depth to the clafoutis. 
I like this dish because it is not overly sweet or rich. I like it warm the first day, but it is fine in the fridge for several days. Whipped cream really elevates this dish.
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Print the recipe

​Ingredients:
Serves  6
I used a 9-inch round baking pan.

¾ cup (185ml) heavy whipping cream 
½ cup  125ml) milk
1 vanilla pod
3 eggs
¼ cup (60g) sugar
⅔ cup (85g) all-purpose flour
1 TBS. Kirsch
1 lb ( 460g) black cherries
Butter to grease the pie pan
confection sugar 


Directions: 
Pit the cherries. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter the baking pan. Put the cream in a small saucepan. Split the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds with a knife or spoon, and add them to the cream. Gently heat the cream for a few minutes. Remove from the heat, then add the milk. Cool. Remove the vanilla pod. 
Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the sugar, then whisk in the flour and Kirsch. Add the cherries to the buttered pan, then pour the batter over the cherries.  
Bake in the middle of the oven for 35 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar through a sieve. 
Guten Appetit!
Recipe from a Little Taste of France
Adapted by the sunnycovechef
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You want a sweeter cherry dessert. Try my Black Forest choclate mouse. 
​Click herer for the recipe

Here is a quintessential German recipe called Rote Grütze. It’s a fruit compote served with vanilla sauce. A fruit lover’s delight. If you are up for a recipe that preserves fruit in alcohol for the winter, click here. It’s called a Rumtopf, and it was my father’s favorite.