Elizabeth Bard’s Cherry Clafoutis Recipe for Provence
Dessert · Flans, Puddings · Provencal Recipes · TasteThis sweet summer recipe comes from Elizabeth Bard’s latest book Picnic in Provence: A memoir with Recipes. We published the recipe below for this delicious cherry dessert with the author’s permission.

Cherry Clafouti - Clafoutis aux Cerises
Clafouti is a homey dessert, a wobbly set custard chock-full of summer’s first cherries. What it lacks in elegance, it makes up for in comfort and sheer deliciousness, perfect for brunch among friends. I’ve been fiddling with clafouti recipes for many years. Jean’s had too much flour for my taste, more like a Far Breton. This recipe is adapted from Les Clafoutis de Christophe by Christophe Felder (Éditions Minerva, 2001). Many traditional clafoutis use unpitted cherries, to get the bitter almond flavor from the pits, but if you don’t want to pay for your guests’ dental work, I suggest you pit the cherries and add some amaretto instead!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 cup milk semi-skimmed, 2%
- 1 tbsp milk semi-skimmed, 2%
- 1 cup light cream 18–20 % fat
- 1 tbsp light cream 18–20 % fat
- 1 tbsp Amaretto rum, or Kirsch
- 1 pound cherries pitted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, and egg yolks until a light lemon yellow. Add flour; whisk to combine. Pour in milk, cream, and amaretto, whisking just to combine — this is like pan- cake batter; once you add the flour, you don’t want to overwork it.
- Butter and sugar a 10-inch ceramic tart mold (I sometimes skip this step and just line the dish with a big sheet of parchment paper).
- Put the cherries in the bottom of the mold. Give the batter a final stir and pour it in. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 50 to 55 minutes, until well browned and fully set in the middle. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature (though I never say no to the leftovers straight from the fridge the next morning).
Notes
Tip: You can make clafouti with any kind of seasonal fruit that won’t give off too much water; blackberries and apricots immediately come to mind.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Grottos of Provence the Caves of VillecrozeRelated Provence Articles
Recipe for Clafoutis aux Cerises from Provence
April 20, 2015
This dessert originates from the Limousin region of France but is often seen on Provencal menus. The beauty of this easy dessert is that it can be prepared with almost any fruit, although strawberries are not recommended. The traditional version is made with whole cherries (not pitted); otherwise, the juice will change the colour of …
A Classic Clafoutis Recipe with Almonds and Cherries of Provence
July 3, 2017
Ground almonds add a touch of richness to an already delightful clafoutis with sweet sun ripened cherries topped with crème fraiche or crème anglaise.…
Tian aux Fruits Baked Fruit in Almond Crust from Provence
September 17, 2014
This classic Provençal dessert, called tian aux fruit, is made with seasonal fruits. It resembles a crumble, although the fruit is baked with an almond crust. Tian is also a traditional clay pottery dish from Provence. Beautiful variations can be found in local markets, although a few potteries make the traditional variety. A glass baking …
Panade aux Pommes Not Your Classic Apple Pie from Provence
August 11, 2015
Ginger and Nutmeg hosted a July 4th dinner party while in Provence in honour of their US friends. The menu included traditional and non-standard elements. Although the intent was to celebrate the US holiday, the menu might be considered a melange of Mexican, American, and French cuisine. The recipe below for Panade ux Pommes is …
No Comment