The Easiest Cherry Clafoutis Recipe

Summer time is officially here! The time for long warm nights, chasing fireflies, singing around the campfire, baking charry pies, and – best of all – spending more time with family!

Cherries and simple recipes are what summer is all about. Sweet, tart, and ripe for the picking, cherries have been putting smiles on our faces since we can remember. That’s why it is only fitting that we would pair them up with a custard-like cake, called a Clafoutis. 

Simply made in a cast iron pan and ready to serve right out the oven. This Cherry Clafoutis is perfect for dessert, brunch and even breakfast.

What Is A Clafoutis?

Clafoutis pronounced [klafuti] or [klafuˈtis] is originally from France, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clafoutis. Traditionally baked with black cherries, it was also customary to include the kernels or pits. The kernels were known for an almond-like flavor that complimented the cherries. 

What makes this Clafoutis unique is that it resembles a flan-like custard. So when it is cut it holds its shape, however, there are no crumbs or crust. It melts with each bite like a creamy custard. 

The Easiest Cherry Clafoutis Breakdown:

Natures Yoke Organic Free-Range Eggs: 

We love it when what we eat gives us and our family nutrients to keep us going all day. Our eggs are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Our hens eat a diet that consists of flax seed – a natural source of Omega-3 – and they find it pretty tasty too. Maybe our hens know how good Omega-3s are too. 

So what makes an egg officially organic? To be called organic, eggs must come from hens that are fed a 100% organic diet and no genetically modified foods.

Our organic free-range hens eat well-balanced, all-organic feed that includes a variety of proteins, grains, vitamins, and minerals, plus ingredients for supporting digestive health and more.

In addition, organic hens must live in cage-free environments and have plenty of access to the outdoors where they can also nibble on pesticide-free plants, as well as insects.

On our free-range organic farms, the outdoor areas are pasture-like and our hens are protected from predators through safe fencing.

So what does all this mean when baking? Every great cake, custard, or flan needs great eggs for structure and creaminess. The protein and high-quality fats – like the Omega-3s mentioned above – are the building block of great baked goods, including our Sweet Cherry Clafoutis. 

Sweet Cherries

Don’t let their dark exteriors fool you, they are all sweet to the taste buds. With each bite, they should give a little snap and burst of natures sweetness. It’s hard to just eat one while baking!

Heavy Cream

In one word – richness. Together with the eggs, you now have a rich base to hold all those cherries. 

Almond Extract

As mentioned above, many years ago, the kernels were kept inside the cherries for their almond flavor. We decided to skip the kernels and work with almond extract instead. Almond extract is the perfect complement to the sweet cherries that really makes their flavor pop!

Brown Sugar

This may not seem like a traditional ingredient and that’s because it isn’t. We chose to use a little brown sugar because as it bakes it caramelizes and gives a little more depth of flavor to our batter. 

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Ok, vanilla bean ice cream is optional but so worth it! It’s the “icing on the cake” so to speak. We love a good topping, and if we can pair Clafoutis, cherries, and ice cream together, we’ve hit a home run to the taste buds. Need a good ice cream recipe? Try this one – https://naturesyoke.com/recipe/vanilla-ice-cream-sundae-bar/

How To Make The Easiest Cherry Clafoutis:

All ingredients should be at room temperature. This will allow for even-baking throughout.

Have your skillet well seasoned. This means it should be oiled well so that the cast iron has absorbed some of the oil. If the skillet is dry it will pull moisture from the Clafoutis. You can season your cast iron by wiping a generous amount of oil around to cover the bottom and the sides. Then place it on a stovetop burner and heat on low/medium, this will help the cast iron season or absorb the oil. This should only take 5 minutes. Once done, let the pan cool and then wipe any excess oil out of the pan. 

Our Cherry Clafoutis comes together smoothly and quickly, so have your oven preheated. 

When adding the melted butter to the batter, make sure it is not too hot, you don’t want to cook your eggs. Whisk as you stream the butter into the batter so it combines well. 

When pitting cherries you can use a cherry pitter. If you don’t have one you can use a sharp paring knife. Slice down the middle and pull the two sides apart until you can pluck the pit out of the center. 

Alternatively, you can use frozen cherries. You will need to thaw them, bring them to room temperature and strain them for about 30 minutes to release any extra juice. 

As the Cherry Clafoutis bakes it will turn golden brown on the edges and puff up. Once removed from the oven your Cherry Clafoutis will deflate. This is normal.

Enjoy this summer treat with family and friends!