If you are looking for a dessert that is very quick and easy to prepare look no further. Clafoutis is a traditional French dessert that is perfect for enjoying the bounty of seasonal fruits.
Food and recipes are such a special thing in this world. For me when a recipe has a story behind it, specially involving a loved one, it transforms the process of putting the recipe together and eating the food that much more special.
I have on more than one occasions shared with you my not so successful attempts with baking and with desserts. Friends, I am happy to report that my life has been transformed. This is all thanks to a reader by the name of Eric Ducreux. Thanks to him I have now discovered a dessert that I can make and one guaranteed to not end up in the trash bin. Just a few days ago Eric sent me a recipe for French cherry clafoutis. I am sad to say that I had neither tasted this dessert, let alone attempt making one. Despite the fact that cherries are a very rare item to find here, the ingredients and instructions really seemed like something I could manage. After couple of messages with Eric, and thanks to his tips, both my brain and belly were determined to give this recipe ago. I will share with you the recipe that Eric sent me and in the notes it will give the amount of blueberries that I swapped for the cherries, just in case you find yourself in the same situation as me.
As I gathered the ingredients and prepared my very first ever clafoutis I thought of Eric’s grandmother. In his message he told me “My gd-ma used to make it for me as a kid many years ago…”. I had a vision of her in a traditional French kitchen preparing a clafoutis for Eric and his family. I imagine how much love she put into her effort and that in every bite they could taste it. Eric tells me that his grandmother is now 85 years old and still going strong! I imagine that she still makes cherry clafoutis for her family.
Thank you Eric for the recipe and introduction. I’m dedicating this, my very first and humble attempt to your grandmother. From now on when ever I prepare a clafoutis, no matter the fruit I use, I will forever think of your grandmother.
- 600 grams or 1.32 lbs of cherries*
- 40 grams or 1.41 oz of salted butter
- 20 grams or .71 oz of butter for buttering the mould
- 4 eggs (I used medium sized eggs)
- 200 ml or 6.76 fluid ounces of whole fat milk (Eric says almond milk works fine too)
- 100 grams or 3.52 oz of all purpose flour (he said “wheat free alternative work just fine”)
- 65 grams or 2.29 oz of granulated sugar
- one teaspoon of vanilla extract
- powdered or icing sugar for dusting the finished clafoutis
- Pre-heat the oven to 210°C or 410°F. If using cherries, rinse and throughly dry them then remove the pits and set them aside, otherwise prepare your fruit.
- Melt the butter and set it aside to cool down.
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl and add the milk and the vanilla extract, then mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour and the sugar, then little by little add the egg mixture to the bowl. Lastly add the melted butter and stir until everything is well combined.
- Generously butter your baking dish or tart pan, arrange the fruit in the baking dish then pour in the batter.
- Bake for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to 180°C or 356°F and continue to bake for 20 more minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool; serve warm or cold with a dusting of powdered sugar.
(Recipe credit "Mémé Marcelle" Marcelle Cherpin)
A beautiful and very tempting clafoutis!
Cheers,
Rosa
Thanks so much, Rosa. This means a lot coming from you a very talented baker.:)
Such a beautiful dessert. It’s not too much but just right! I’m sure you made Eric proud and if his grandmother could taste it I’m sure she would tell you the same thing. I’ll save this to try as well. Anything with blueberries and I’m a pushover!
Thank you so much, Vicki! I’m sure you are going to love it too. Enjoy!
I have made this so many times and it never looks as great as yours does will be trying this recipe! Thankyou!
You are much too kind Claudia, thank you! Enjoy the recipe:)
Love a good clafoutis! You can use almost any fruit in them — grapes are quite good — but blueberries are my favorite. Good stuff — thanks.
My world is just opening up to all of the clafoutis possibilities, hehe!:) Thanks for the grape tip, I have to try that one too.
YUM!!!! This is a treat that both Bobby and I would LOVE!!! Thanks to you and Eric.
Enjoy it MJ and I know you’ll make a delicious one with seasonal fruit!
I would also swap out the cherries as they are so expensive here. And blueberries look like the perfect fruit to use :)
They worked great. Thanks Tandy!
Thanks again Nancy, my Mémé was beaming when I told her and my Mum showed her the article (I am in Scotland, she is in France).
And as per comments from others, you can use any fruits, I did one with strawberries yesterday while working from home :P
I’ll gather more recipes for you from her in the coming weeks if you want :)
XXX
Eric.
Thank you Eric for sharing the recipe and for telling me about your grandmother. That’s great to hear. :) Strawberries sound fantastic too and hope to try that version soon.
I have never made clafoutis…but love the idea of lots of fruits in it…simple and yet so elegant.
Thanks for the inspiration Nancy! Hope you are having a great week :)
This truly is a simple and elegant dessert, Juliana. I hope you give it a try sometime. Thank you and you too have a great weekend!
I’m so glad you’re having success as a baker—this clafoutis looks amazing. I’ve made a peach and a cherry version, but now I’m dreaming of blueberries and raspberries. You’ve inspire me!
I need to keep practicing but I’m starting to get more comfortable with it. A peach and raspberry version both sound amazing — you’ve inspired me now too. Thanks Lizzy :)