I have always been intrigued by the French dessert Cherry Clafoutis, but I have never had it before. I once tried making a blueberry clafoutis, but it wasn’t very authentic and not very good. So I was super-excited that this week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe was clafoutis!
This was supposed to be a “whole-cherry” clafoutis. Apparently using whole cherries is traditional, and bakers claim the pits add more flavor. I felt like it would be too annoying to worry about the pits while eating a tasty dessert (and I also would not have felt comfortable giving it to my daughter to eat), so I made “half-cherry” clafoutis instead. After pitting all those cherries, I think the real reason the French leave the cherries whole is pure laziness: pitting cherries is a lot of work!
I finally feel like I have tried “real” clafoutis, and I loved it! In fact, we all enjoyed this dessert. I loved the flavor of the juicy cherries against the vanilla base. It is very hard to describe the texture, you really just have to try it.
From Scratch 
Your clafoutis looks fab. I liked this too, though will skip the pits next time.
So with you on going pitless… my aunt almost lost a tooth with a whole cherry pie… I just don’t get it… Yours looks really delcious.
Beautiful clafoutis, Karen! I also pitted my cherries, but I have a cherry pitter. It still took some time, but it gave me piece of mind! Glad this was a hit…we loved it, too!
I didn’t pit my cherries (love the burst of juice), but I don’t think it makes much difference to the recipe. Lovely job!
is that why your clafoutis is so red??? 🙂 I was trying to figure out how you got all those extra cherries in there but it must be the cherry juices that seeped out?
I think so. I definitely had juice seep out into the batter, because my clafoutis took longer to cook than the recipe said it would.
mine did too… considerably longer…
Agree – pitting cherries is a lot of work! I almost ran out to buy a cherry pitter. It is a delightful dessert, perfect for entertaining!
Pitting is the pits, for sure! I am with you on not wanting all those pits in my dessert (sometimes, if I am feeling lazy, I buy the frozen pitted cherries!)
I think your dessert looks tasty with all that cherry juice in the pudding part.
You are absolutely right, Karen, clafoutis is difficult to explain. It’s so good but different, as desserts go, so “just trying it” is the way to go, I think. I think most of us pitted our cherries and that’s another thing you’re right about. The French don’t pit their cherries because it takes time to do that, I agree with your assessment. Yours looks lovely. That’s another thing, I love the look of this dessert. Too bad my guests devoured it. No leftovers.
Your clafoutis looks so delicious, glad you all enjoyed it. This was such an easy recipe, will definitely do this again.
I left the pits in but next time will use blueberries. It was a tasty dessert.
I would like to try blueberries too!