Dessert/ Desserts

Almond Cherry Clafoutis

What’s a clafoutis anyway?

Do you love cherries as much as I do? If so, you will love this clafoutis.

So today when I did a routine clean-out of my refrigerator, and there is nothing routine about cleaning my refrigerator, I happened to notice two partial bags of cherries so I was motivated to find something to do with them. We can get fresh cherries year round here in Texas, just not at the summer prices.

Pronounced, kla-foo-TEE, a Cherry Clafoutis or Clafouti is a rustic French dessert made with cherries arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a flan-like batter then baked and dusted with powdered sugar and served warm. We had many rustic French desserts and pastries while in France this year but I never saw this one on a menu.

I’m serving my clafoutis with whipped cream flavored with almond extract. Some recipes call for not taking out the pits because they are suppose to release a wonderful almond flavor when the dessert is baked. The other member of my household does not like anything with a pit, so unless I want to sit and use a cherry pitter (I love my pitter) and pit him a bowlful, I’m the only one eating those cherries. After what he has done for me during both knee recoveries, I should be cutting his meat and spoon feeding him.

There are so many versions of this online, some are almost bread pudding like and some flan like. I think this is somewhere in between.

The cherries are the star.

Pitted and halved cherries.

Butter ramekins or other pan and sprinkle with the toasted almonds.

The batter is quick and easy to throw together.

Pour in the batter almost to the top of the ramekin. I could have gone a little higher on these two.

 

Almond Cherry Clafoutis

Ingredients

  • 2 c. fresh sweet cherries pitted, and halved
  • 2 Tbsp. slivered almonds toasted
  • 2 Tbsp. butter plus additional for buttering dish
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 1/2 c. all-purpose flour sifted
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/4 c. Half & Half or part heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp. melted butter
  • 1/2 tsp. almond extract
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Brown the almonds in the oven for about 5-6 minutes until lightly toasted.
  2. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. When the butter is bubbling, add the pitted cherries that you have cut in half along with 2 tablespoons of sugar and cook until the cherries have softened just a little and are coated with the butter. This will take about two minutes.
  3. Butter and dust a 9 x 9 or individual ramekins with flour. Put some almonds in the bottom of the dish. Top with the halved cherries, cut side down.
  4. Whisk the eggs, yolk, sugar, salt until pale in color. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons melted butter. Now add the flour and whisk until smooth, drizzle in milk and vanilla and almond extracts. and continue whisking until batter is smooth.
  5. Pour this mixture over the almonds and cherries.
  6. Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until the clafoutis is puffed, set and golden brown around the edges. Do not open the door until the end of the baking time because it may collapse.
  7. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately with whipped cream (I flavored mine with almond extract)
  8. *Note: if baking in a larger pan (10" diameter) it make take about 30 minutes for it to puff and get to a light golden brown stage.

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