In short: Raclette cherry clafoutis takes five minutes to mix and bakes right in the raclette pans, under the grill that is still hot from dinner. An egg and milk batter, pitted cherries and, for the kids, a few chocolate chips or colourful candy-coated chocolates.
Chef’s tip
Let’s be honest: there isn’t a crumb of cheese in this dessert. After a raclette night nobody asks for more, and that’s just fine. The “raclette” part is the cooking: the batter bakes in the pans, under the machine’s heating element, exactly like your slice of cheese ten minutes earlier. The cherry stays the star, and the French region of Limousin, home of clafoutis, will forgive us.
The only secret is not to overfill. A pan filled to the brim spills over, burns at the edges and stays runny in the middle. One centimetre of batter, three or four cherries, and the clafoutis puffs up nicely in ten minutes. Wash the pans well after the raclette: a clafoutis flavoured with melted cheese is an experience you only try once.
| Prep time | 15 min |
|---|---|
| Cook time | 12 min |
| Total | 30 min |
| Servings | 4 people (adjustable) |
| Difficulty | Easy |
Ingredients (for 4 people)
- 300 g cherries (fresh, or frozen and thawed)
- 2 eggs
- 60 g caster sugar
- 50 g plain flour
- 150 g whole milk
- 20 g melted butter, plus a little for the pans
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon of icing sugar
- 40 g chocolate chips or colourful candy-coated chocolates (kids’ option)
- A pinch of salt
- Equipment: a raclette machine with its pans and a cherry pitter (or an unfolded paper clip)
Preparation
- Pit the cherries. Wash and stem the cherries, then remove the stones with a pitter. If you use frozen cherries, let them thaw and drain them well on kitchen paper, or they will make the batter soggy.
- Make the batter. Whisk the eggs with the sugar, vanilla and salt until pale. Add the flour, whisk, then pour in the milk little by little and finally the melted butter. The batter should be smooth and runny, like a slightly thick pancake batter.
- Preheat the machine. Switch on the raclette machine 10 minutes ahead, on full power. Brush the inside of the pans with butter, edges included: the clafoutis will slide right out.
- Fill the pans. Put 3 or 4 cherries in each pan, then pour in the batter to a depth of about one centimetre, no more. For the kids, scatter a few chocolate chips over the batter.
- Bake under the grill. Slide the pans under the grill and bake for 10 to 12 minutes without moving them. The clafoutis is ready when it has puffed up, the edges are golden and the centre no longer wobbles. The tip of a knife should come out clean.
- Decorate and serve. Let it cool for 2 minutes in the pan, dust with icing sugar and serve with a wooden spatula. Add the colourful candy-coated chocolates once out of the grill: under the heat their shell cracks and the colour runs.
Chef’s tips
- Make the batter before dinner and keep it in the fridge: it only gets better, and dessert is ready in one move.
- Leave the stones in if you like the almond flavour they give, but warn everyone, kids included.
- No more than one centimetre of batter: any deeper and the bottom burns before the top is cooked.
- The pans come out scorching hot: serve the clafoutis on a plate or put a board under each pan.
Variations
- Kids’ version: swap half the cherries for chocolate chips and colourful candy-coated chocolates.
- Autumn version: diced pear and a pinch of cinnamon instead of cherries.
- Indulgent version: a few flaked almonds on the batter and a dash of kirsch for the grown-ups.
Which wine to serve?
A glass of chilled sweet cider lightens the end of the evening. Wine lovers can pick an off-dry rosé, or a red Maury to bring out the cherry. For the kids, a hot chocolate.
Frequently asked questions
Is there any cheese in this clafoutis?
No, none at all. “Raclette” here means baked in the machine’s pans. You already had the cheese before.
Can I use jarred cherries?
Yes, as long as you drain them well. They are already sweet: take 10 g of sugar out of the batter.
How many pans do I need?
With these quantities, count on 8 pans, that’s 2 per person. On a machine for 4, bake in two batches.
🧀 The right grill: For a clafoutis that puffs up well, a strong, even grill makes all the difference: the best raclette grills, our comparison.
Read also: all our raclette recipes.
