Julia Child Cherry Clafoutis Recipe

Julia Child Cherry Clafoutis is rustic French dessert at its simplest. From the Limousin region and featured in Mastering the Art of French Cooking (pages 655-657), it’s somewhere between a pancake and a custard, studded with sweet black cherries and dusted with powdered sugar.

Julia calls it “peasant cooking for family meals, and about as simple a dessert to make as you can imagine: a pancake batter poured over fruit in a fireproof dish, then baked in the oven.”

A blender, cherries, pantry staples. Fifteen minutes of work, an hour in the oven. Done.

What exactly is clafoutis? A baked French cherry dessert from the Limousin region. Custardy batter, fresh cherries, served warm with powdered sugar.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Blender batter: Everything in, 1 minute, done.
• Minimal prep: 15 minutes of actual work.
• Impressive result: Puffs up golden and beautiful.
• Adaptable: Works with pears, plums, apples, berries.
• Perfect for casual entertaining: Rustic, unfussy, delicious.

Julia Child Cherry Clafoutis Ingredients

From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1, pages 655-657. Serves 6-8.

For the Cherries:

• 3 cups pitted black cherries (fresh, canned Bing, or frozen)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar

For the Batter:

• 1¼ cups milk
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 Tb vanilla extract
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ½ cup all-purpose flour

For Serving:

• Powdered sugar

How To Make Julia Child Cherry Clafoutis

Step 1: Prep

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 10-inch baking dish or pie plate.
2. Make the batter: Add milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and flour to blender in that order. Blend at high speed for 1 minute.

Step 2: Assemble

3. Set the base layer: Pour ¼ inch of batter into the dish. Set over moderate stovetop heat for 1-2 minutes until a film sets on the bottom. Remove from heat.
4. Add cherries and remaining batter: Spread cherries over the set layer, sprinkle with ⅓ cup sugar, then pour remaining batter over top. Smooth with a spoon.

Step 3: Bake

5. Bake about 1 hour until puffed, browned, and a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm. It will sink slightly as it cools.

Recipe Tips

• Why set the batter first? The base layer keeps cherries from sinking to the bottom.
• No blender? Julia says to mix eggs into flour with a wooden spoon, beat in liquids gradually, then strain through a sieve.
• Serve same day: Best eaten warm, within a few hours of baking.

The Pit Debate

Traditional Limousin clafoutis leaves pits in for an almond-like flavor. Julia’s recipe calls for pitted cherries for safety. Your choice.

Variations

• With Liqueur: Soak cherries 1 hour in ¼ cup kirsch and ⅓ cup sugar. Use soaking liquid to replace part of the milk.
• Pear: Substitute sliced ripe pears soaked in sweet wine.
• Blueberry: Use 3 cups berries. Increase flour to 1¼ cups.

Make-Ahead Strategy

Best made and served same day. Batter can be made 2 hours ahead and refrigerated.

How To Store

• Room Temperature: Best within 4-6 hours.
• Refrigerator: Covered, 1 day. Reheat at 300°F for 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1/8):

• Calories: 195 kcal
• Protein: 5g
• Total Fat: 4g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 26g
• Sodium: 75mg
• Cholesterol: 80mg

FAQs

Source: Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1 by Julia Child, pages 655-657

– Claire