Fresh Cherry Clafoutis (Printer View)

Juicy cherries baked in vanilla bean custard for a rustic, elegant summer dessert; serves 6.

# Components:

→ Fruit

01 - 400 g (about 2 1/2 cups) fresh sweet cherries, pitted

→ Custard

02 - 3 large eggs
03 - 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
04 - 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
05 - 80 g (2/3 cup) all-purpose flour
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 250 ml (1 cup) whole milk
08 - 60 ml (1/4 cup) heavy cream
09 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

→ For the Pan and Finishing

10 - Butter for greasing
11 - 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for dusting

# Method steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter a 24 cm (9–10-inch) round baking dish or pie dish.
02 - Spread the pitted cherries evenly over the bottom of the prepared dish.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until pale and slightly thickened.
04 - Add the vanilla seeds and whisk in the flour and salt until smooth.
05 - Gradually whisk in the milk, cream, and melted butter until the batter is well combined and free of lumps.
06 - Pour the batter evenly over the cherries in the baking dish.
07 - Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the clafoutis is puffed, lightly golden, and just set in the center.
08 - Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
09 - Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Dusting the top with powdered sugar right as it’s cooling feels like an instant upgrade—even store-bought desserts rarely look this pretty.
  • The vanilla bean’s tiny black flecks speckle the custard and melt into every bite, giving you that luxuriously fragrant taste you can’t get from extract alone.
02 -
  • Once, I rushed the pitting and ended up cracking a tooth on a stray cherry stone—double check each one if you decide to pit.
  • Letting the baked clafoutis cool for at least 15 minutes ensures the custard sets to the perfect texture (resist the urge to cut too soon).
03 -
  • Warming the milk slightly before whisking makes the batter blend together more easily and ensures there aren’t any floury pockets.
  • Using really fresh, seasonal cherries turns this good dessert into something extraordinary.
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