Clafoutis aux Cerises Recipe

This delightful Clafoutis aux Cerises recipe is a classic French dessert that combines juicy cherries with a light, softly set custard batter. Featured on Dinner in Paris, host Romain Avril prepares this elegant dessert with eggs, sugar, milk, cream, flour, vanilla, and fresh cherries, creating a dish that feels both rustic and refined. With its tender texture, simple preparation, and beautiful fruit-filled presentation, Clafoutis aux Cerises is an excellent dessert for family dinners, summer gatherings, or anyone looking to explore traditional French baking.

The Inspiration

Clafoutis aux Cerises is one of the most recognizable fruit desserts in French home cooking. Traditionally associated with the Limousin region of France, clafoutis is known for its simple combination of fresh fruit and a thin batter that bakes into a texture somewhere between a custard, flan, and tender pancake.

In this version from Dinner in Paris, Romain Avril uses pitted whole cherries, making the finished dessert easier to eat while retaining the beautiful appearance of the fruit. Eggs provide structure and richness, sugar adds a gentle sweetness, and the combination of milk and 35% cream creates a soft and luxurious texture.

Whether enjoyed during cherry season or prepared whenever good-quality cherries are available, this Clafoutis aux Cerises recipe offers a wonderful way to experience the simplicity and elegance of classic French dessert making.

Ingredients

• 600 g (4 cups) cherries, pitted but still whole
• 4 eggs
• 70g (1/3 cup) sugar
• 120 ml (½ cup) milk
• 1/4 cup 35% cream
• 30 g (1/4 cup) flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Butter for dish

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F. Butter an 8×8 inch baking dish. Spread cherries evenly over the bottom of the dish.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until pale yellow.
• Add milk, cream, flour, and vanilla. Pour batter over the cherries.
• Bake 35–40 minutes. Once set, remove from the oven.
• Cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

This delightful Clafoutis aux Cerises recipe is especially well suited to relaxed summer dinners, weekend lunches, family gatherings, and French-inspired dessert menus. Because the dessert is naturally rustic, it can be served directly from the baking dish for a casual presentation or portioned onto individual plates for a more elegant meal.

For an elegant presentation, serve each portion on a simple dessert plate and allow the natural color of the cherries to become the visual focus. The dessert does not require elaborate decoration because the baked fruit already creates a beautiful appearance.

For a relaxed brunch or afternoon gathering, smaller portions can be served alongside coffee or tea. The combination of fruit, custard, and vanilla makes the dessert versatile enough to enjoy outside of a formal dinner setting.

Clafoutis also works beautifully as the final course of a French-inspired meal. After a savory main dish, the light custard texture and fresh cherry flavor provide a gentle and satisfying conclusion without feeling excessively heavy.

Final Thoughts

This Clafoutis aux Cerises recipe demonstrates how a handful of simple ingredients can create a dessert with unmistakable French character. Fresh cherries are baked beneath a light custard made from eggs, sugar, milk, cream, flour, and vanilla, producing a dessert that is soft, fruity, and beautifully balanced.

Featured on Dinner in Paris, host Romain Avril highlights the simplicity that makes clafoutis such a lasting favorite. There is no pastry crust to prepare and no complicated filling to cook separately. Instead, the recipe relies on fresh fruit and a smooth batter that comes together quickly before being baked until gently set.

Find more recipes from Dinner in Paris here!

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