15 minutes prep
50 - 60 minutes active cooking
65 - 75 minutes total
from the sparsely populated farming region of Limousin in southwestern France, cherry clafoutis is redundant. If a slightly sweet, custardy baked pancake is filled with anything besides cherries, it’s a flaugnarde. But here and almost everywhere else, including the fruity modifier makes it much easier to explain what clafoutis means.
And while cherry pie might be the most well-known cherry-based dessert, clafoutis (pronounced kla-FOO-tee) is what you should be making right now, when local sweet cherries are in season. It’s quick and easy, even with a few minutes of pitting, and you can eat it hot from the oven with some whipped cream for dessert or cold the next morning for breakfast.
For the shopping list
sweet cherries, pitted
All Purpose Flour
sugar
whole milk
vanilla extract
powdered sugar, for serving
Whipped cream, for serving
From the kitchen
9" Skillet
Chopstick
Blender, Food Processor, or Mixing Bowl
Mesh Strainer
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Heat your oven to 350F.
Use a chopstick to pit the cherries by holding the fruit securely on a cutting board and poking the chopstick into the stem end. It’s messy and you’ll probably break a few cherries, but that’s okay.
Pour a little olive oil into a 9 inch skillet and spread it around, then add the cherries. There should be enough to cover the bottom and then some.
Mix together 1/2 cup flour, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then beat in 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons olive oil until you have a smooth batter. You could do this in a blender or food processor if you don’t mind the extra time to clean it.
Pour the batter over the cherries, sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the top, and slide the skillet into the oven, Cook for 50-60 minutes or until the top is nicely browned.
Put a spoonful of powdered sugar into a fine mesh strainer, then tap it gently while moving it over the clafoutis to create a light, even dusting. Serve warm with a little whipped cream if desired.