These amazing Cherry Clafoutis tarts consist of a classic fresh dessert served in a delicious light and crumbly pastry case - Delicious!
Cherry Clafoutis is a pretty special dessert being packed with seasonal cherries surrounded by a set custard. It's quick and ridiculously easy to make. But why not pimp up the classic French dessert and take it to the next level with this recipe for individual Cherry Clafoutis Tarts!
When the seasons bring you cherries (mid-July - mid september in the UK), make a cherry clafoutis......or perhaps a Black Forest Gateau, a cherry and coconut bakewell, Black Forest Pancakes, Black Forest ice cream cup cakes , cherry and chocolate bakewell, or even cherry & almond cupcakes.
Cherry Clafoutis
If you've not come across it previously, is a wonderfully easy French dessert from the Limousin region, consisting of cherries (pretty obvious, eh ?) covered with a simple batter and baked in a heavily buttered dish.
The result – A delicious bake with a custard-like filling, studded with seasonal cherries and, if you like, a hint of kirsch too!
The dish is beautifully rustic, easy and perfect for a mid-week dessert. But what if you want to pimp it up a little and make it a tiny bit more special?
Well, how about making the cherry clafoutis in individual tart cases? Personally, I often think individual desserts are just that little bit more special.
And to be honest, although this cherry clafoutis recipe sees the cherries and batter baked in a pastry case, it doesn't require that much more time than the traditional version.
And if you were to use ready made pastry or even ready made pastry cases they would be even quicker to make.
Just think, a special individual dessert which requires only a little extra time and effort sounds ideal to me!
A splash of kirsch or brandy peps up the custard, and the whole bake, beautifully. Though if you'd rather not use it, simply add some vanilla extract instead.
Ingredients and substitutions
For the sweet pastry
- Plain flour – (US =all purpose)
- Icing sugar – (US = confectioner’s sugar)
- Butter: Cold and cubed – helps you to rub it into your flour without heating it up too much as you work it. I tend to use lightly salted butter as that is what I have in the fridge. If you use unsalted butter add a pinch of salt.
- Egg – yolk plus lightly beaten egg white to seal the pastry
For the Cherry Clafoutis
- Cherries – The dish is nicest made with fresh but canned cherries can be substituted. If using canned drain well.
- Kirsch or brandy – or replace it with 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Double Cream – (US = heavy cream)
- Milk – whole or semi-skimmed
- Plain flour – (US =all purpose)
- Caster Sugar – I use golden caster sugar for most of my baking. It’s the same as normal caster sugar, but it’s unrefined, It is a little more flavoursome with light caramel tones.
- Salt
- Egg – large
- Icing sugar – (US = confectioner’s sugar) to dust
How to serve these cherry tarts
The cherry tarts can be left plain or dusted lightly with icing sugar.
They can be served hot or cold but I think they are simply wonderful served slightly warm with ice cream or cream!
Variation
Try Blackberries in place of cherries for a great autumnal dessert.
So, here's how to make Cherry Clafoutis Tarts
Cherry Clafoutis Tarts
Equipment
- 4 x 10 - 12cm (4-5in) tart tins
- Rolling Pin
- baking beans
- baking parchment
Ingredients
For the sweet pastry
- 150 g plain flour (5oz)
- 50 g icing sugar (2oz)
- 75 g butter (3oz), chilled and cubed
- 1 egg ,large, separated
For the Cherry Clafoutis
- 250 g cherries (9oz) see ingredient notes above
- 1½ tablespoons Kirsch or brandy or replace it with 2 teaspoon vanilla extract(see note below)
- 100 ml double Cream (3½floz)
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 3 tablespoons plain flour
- 25 g golden caster sugar (2oz)
- Pinch salt
- 1 egg large
- icing sugar to dust over
Instructions
To Make the Pastry
- Sift 150g (5oz) flour and 50g (2oz) icing sugar into a mixing bowl and rub in 75g (3oz) butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Make a well in the centre add one egg yolk and 2 tablespoons cold water. Mix together to form a soft dough adding a little extra water if required.
- Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and lightly knead the dough for 10 seconds. Shape the pastry into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap and chill for 15 minutes.
- Divide the pastry into 4 pieces. Roll out each piece into a circle and use to line the tart tins. Avoid stretching the pastry. Chill again for 15 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 190℃ (170℃ fan)/375°F/gas mark 5. Place a baking tray onto the middle shelf while the oven preheats. Remove the lined tart tins from the fridge. Use a fork to gently prick the pastry base. Line the pastry cases with parchment and weight with baking beans.
- Place the cases onto the heated baking tray and bake for 12 minutes. Remove the baking beans and parchment and bake for a further 8 minutes.
- Remove the cases from the oven and immediately brush a thin layer of beaten egg white over the inside of the pastry cases to seal. Reduce the oven temperature to 180℃ (160℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4.
Prepare the cherries
- Meanwhile, prepare 250g (9oz) cherries. Wash, halve and stone the cherries. Place into a bowl. Add the 1½ tablespoons kirsch or brandy (if using). Give the fruit and kirsch a gentle stir and then set aside allowing them to soak whilst the pastry finishes cooking and you prepare the batter.
Prepare the batter
- Heat 100ml (3½floz) cream and 2 tablespoons milk in a heavy based saucepan until just simmering. Set it aside to cool a little. In a mixing bowl combine the 3 tablespoons flour, a pinch of salt and 25g (1oz) sugar. Add the beaten egg and beat to a smooth consistency.
- Add about a quarter of the cooled cream to the mixture and mix thoroughly, then gradually add the remaining cream and mix again. Drain the kirsch or brandy from the cherries and stir into the batter.
To complete
- Remove the pastry cases from the tin and place on the baking sheet. Arrange the cherries in a single layer cut side down in the pastry cases. Place the baking sheet on the oven shelf and carefully pour the batter mixture over the cherries. Close the oven door.
- Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, until the batter is pale golden and just set. Served warm or cold with cream, ice cream or simply on its own dusted with a little icing sugar.
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