Cherry Clafoutis with Almonds, Honey and Orange Blossom Water

A few days ago I shared a recipe for savoury clafoutis, and today I'm back with a more traditional version, though with a few twists that make this cherry tart a truly delicious dessert – crisp and aromatic. This cherry clafoutis with almonds and orange blossom water is perfection in every bite, whether you leave the stones in or prefer to pit the cherries.

You’ll see that it’s a very simple tart to prepare, and it’s perfect for this time of year when cherries are at their sweetest. The hardest part is probably pitting the cherries – if you choose to do so. Traditionally, the cherries are left whole, as they retain more flavour and don’t release as much juice. But in the end, it’s the cook’s decision.

To make the final result more aromatic and crunchier than the classic clafoutis, we add orange blossom water to the batter and sprinkle flaked almonds over the top. They toast beautifully! By adding almond flour and baking the cherry tart in the deep stainless steel tray from De Buyer, we give the clafoutis more structure. And the orange blossom water fills the kitchen with a wonderful aroma while giving the dessert a special touch.

You can enjoy it on its own, just like that, but I love serving it warm with a generous spoonful of vanilla ice cream. You’ll see that this cherry clafoutis with almonds and orange blossom water is a real treat.

Ingredients

• 500 g cherries (with or without stones, as you prefer)
• 3 large eggs
• 80 g honey (can be replaced with the same amount of brown sugar or panela)
• 100 g almond flour
• 50 g plain flour
• 30 g melted butter
• 200 ml whole milk
• 100 ml fresh cream (35% fat)
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• A pinch of fine salt
• Flaked almonds (for decoration)
• Icing sugar (optional and to taste)

Preparation

1. Wash the cherries, remove the stems and set aside. If you prefer them pitted, remove the stones. You can use the OXO cherry or olive pitter to speed things up.
2. Preheat the oven to 180ºC, top and bottom heat.
3. Place the eggs and honey (or sugar) in the bowl of your KitchenAid stand mixer and beat with the whisk attachment until the mixture becomes foamy and increases in volume.
4. Add the flours and salt and gently mix until well combined.
5. Now add the melted butter, milk, cream, vanilla extract and orange blossom water and stir gently to combine all the ingredients.
6. Grease your De Buyer deep stainless steel tray with a bit of butter or a non-stick spray.
7. Arrange the cherries in the tray, spreading them out nicely.
8. Gently pour the batter over the cherries and sprinkle flaked almonds on top – this will give the clafoutis a delicious crunch.
9. Place the tray in the oven and bake for about 35–40 minutes, until the top is golden and the centre slightly soft.
10. Remove the clafoutis from the oven and let it cool slightly on a wire rack.
11. Once cooled, dust with a little icing sugar before serving.
12. And now for the best part: serve the clafoutis with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of whipped cream – or enjoy it on its own. Enjoy!

Tips

• To make a traditional clafoutis, cherries are usually left unpitted, as the flavour is more intense with the stones. But if you prefer a softer texture and taste, feel free to pit them. The OXO cherry and olive pitter makes this task much easier.
• If you decide to serve your clafoutis with vanilla ice cream, you can make your own by following the recipe you’ll find here.