The first time I ate a Clafoutis was in a Chambre d’Hote in the Vendée when we were en route down south.

Madame rather proudly, presented us with a Clafoutis aux Frambroises ; “They are from my own Garden,” she said.
It was delicious.

But because Síle didn’t get holidays from school until the begining of July, we always missed the Cherry season in May and June and so I missed eating the true Clafoutis, the one made with Cherries.

I have made Clafoutis of Raspberries, Peaches, Apricots, Blackberries, in fact just about any fruit which can be slipped into batter but never, until last week, one with Cherries.

All that changed last week when P and I were staying.
It was P’s birthday and he requested a Clafoutis for his cake (having tasted one of mine before.)
For once the time was right, the cherries were in season, so I was able to make the real thing.

Without doubt Cherries make the best Clafoutis.

I decided to make another today and Síle got some delicious dark red local Cherries in the supermarket.

While I was waiting for it to cook I looked up the origins of the dish on the internet.

I discovered that it should be made from dark red cherries (Voila!) and came from the Limousin.
I had kinda assumed it would be from here or the Midi Pyrenees as here we have the reputation for having the best and earliest cherries.
The origin of the word was however, I discovered from the Occitan:

The dish’s name derives from Occitan clafotís, from the verb clafir, meaning “to fill” (implied: “the batter with cherries”). Clafoutis apparently spread throughout France during the 19th century.

So, whatever Limousin’s claims it came from somewhere not too far away from Languedoc.
Here is the recipe (and a picture) of the one I made today.

Cherry Clafoutis

300g Caster Sugar
210g Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
3 Eggs
150g Melted Unsalted Butter
1 tbs. Kirsch or Brandy
250g Cherries

Mix together the sugar, flour and baking powder in a bowl.
Make a well in the centre.
Break the eggs into the well and beat them with a whisk gradually
Incorporating the dry ingredients.
As the mixture thickens add the melted butter and the Kirsch.
Pour this mixture into a 12 ins tart tin or quiche tin ( not one with a removable base)
Stone the cherries and push them one by one into the batter.
Bake this at 150C. 300F.Gas 4 for at least 50mts (mine took an hour and a quarter in a non-fan oven.
This must be served from the tin either hot from the oven or at room temperature with some whipped cream.

You will have noticed of course that I disobeyed my own commands (because we have guests staying whom I wished to impress) and, by lining a detachable base tin with tin foil, which I liberally buttered, I managed to lift the Clafoutis out of the tin.
A business only to be recommended to nerdy cheffy types, like me.