Cherry Clafoutis Recipe: 3 Tips for Baking Clafoutis

A clafoutis is a traditional French dessert consisting of a custardy, almond-scented cake studded with fresh fruit pieces. Originally from Limousin, France, a rural region in south-central France, the name “clafoutis” is derived from clafotís, which means “to fill" in local Occitan dialect.

Clafoutis has a slightly lighter texture than other custards, like flan, or baked puddings like Dutch baby. While cherries are a part of the traditional recipe, you can use most seasonal fruit varieties to bake the sweet treat: raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or small stone fruits like plums, nectarines, and apricots.

Fruit selection plays a major role in a clafoutis bake, though oven temperature and humidity also play pivotal parts in the baking process. Here are some key tips for baking clafoutis:

1. 1. Choose a sturdy fruit. Fruits with high water content will result in an overall wetter clafoutis, which may not be everyone’s preference. Choose a sturdier fruit (like whole cherries or halved apricots) to avoid a soggy bake. To make the dessert with juicier fruits, lightly dry your fruit selection in the oven (on low heat) before adding it to the batter. Increasing the amount of flour in the batter can also help trap fruit juices.
2. 2. Make personal servings. Turn any clafoutis recipe into a handheld treat by scooping individual servings into a muffin tin. Cut the fruit into smaller pieces to ensure it fits.
3. 3. Take the traditional route. A traditional Limousin-style cherry clafoutis uses whole cherries instead of pitted, citing the chemical compound within the pit that mimics a pleasing almond flavor. Use caution when biting down.