This gorgeous Vegan Cherry Clafoutis is a revised traditional French dessert, usually served still lukewarm. It contains no egg, no butter and yet it delivers a soft flan that melts in your mouth with a handful of juicy cherries.
Which are your first childhood culinary memories?
You know, those foods that just like Proust‘s Madeleines, take you back to another time and another place with just one bite. Perhaps in your mother’s kitchen, or at your grandparent’s house, foods that are familiar yet so distant in time. To me it’s always fascinating how flavors and smells can trigger so many memories, even things we thought were long forgotten.
Many times I ask this same question to my husband, as coming from different countries we didn’t get to experience the same types of food as children, and every now and then I try to recreate his favorite foods but Vegan, of course.
And it’s during one of these conversations that the Cherry Clafoutis made its first appearance.
The Clafoutis is a bizarre food, if you ask me. The first time I’ve been told you put whole cherries in a flan, I wondered who thought that biting into a soft slice of flan, only to find the hard, inedible pit would be a pleasurable experience… Not to mention you have to delicately get rid of the pit (aka spit it somewhere) and the whole thing becomes even weirder. Not the kind of cake you’d want to eat during a posh High Tea I guess :D
Apparently, the reason why the cherries are left whole and not pitted is partly because “the pits contain amygdalin, the active chemical in almond extract, so during baking a small amount of amygdalin from the pits is released into the clafoutis, adding a complementary note to its flavor” (Wikipedia says) but also because in this way they retain all their juices (a French woman told me).
Anyway, the whole “ok I’ll attempt to recreate a Vegan Cherry Clafoutis” thing started when we stumbled upon an abandoned cherry orchard a few weeks ago. We had a lovely impromptu picnic under the shade of these enormous, uncared-for trees, that generously keep on giving new fruits year after year. There were thousands of cherries, many already fallen, and so we took a few – well quite a few! – partaking on the beautiful mystery that nature is: food that comes directly from the earth, naturally, without man’s intervention and without the need for any creature to suffer or die to feed us. Oh man, it felt just right! And with so many cherries, we snacked on them as dessert for many evenings, but it was the perfect opportunity to finally attempt a Vegan Cherry Clafoutis.
So, do you want to find out how to make a light and cruelty-free version of this typical French dessert? Read on then:
Vegan Cherry Clafoutis
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 250/500 gr dark cherries the quantity depends on how many you want!
- 120 gr flour
- 70 gr brown sugar
- 7 gr vanilla sugar
- 2 tbsp almond flour
Wet Ingredients
- 35 cl plant-based milk
- 10 cl plant-based cream
Instructions
- Wash, dry and destem the cherries.
- Add the rest of the dry ingredients - flour, brown sugar, vanilla sugar and almond meal - to a big bowl. Mix them together with a whisk.
- Create a hole in the middle and pour half of the plant-based milk and cream. Fold them in gently, then add the rest of the liquids. Let rest for 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, turn on your over at 200°C (392°F).
- Place the cherries in your round baking dish and slowly pour the batter without moving the cherries too much. Let cook for about 45 minutes (start checking around the 40' mark) and then let rest outside the oven.
- Serve while still lukewarm! Serving options: you could add a ball of vanilla ice cream or sprinkle some powdered sugar.
Notes
So let me know, what is a food that reminds you of childhood? I’d love to know! Leave a comment below so we can talk about it some more together
♥
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Comments
Amanda Appiagyei
30/06/2017So glad I found this blog post, have just been googling vegan treat recipes. This looks delicious, saved to my bookmarks bar for later!
Jennifer Sterbenz
30/06/2017Interesting, I’ve never heard of a clafoutis before. I’ll have to try it. I generally love making stuff with cherries though so I’m sure I’d love it.
arita muhaxheri
30/06/2017omggg yaaaas this is what I’m making over the weekend ..I lovee that it’s vegan and perfect for forth of july <3
Kate | The Organized Dream
01/07/2017I don’t think I’ve ever tried a vegan recipe before. There’s a first time for everything!
Allison - Celebrating Sweets
01/07/2017Clafoutis without eggs?! I’m intrigued! I have to try this!
Dylan
01/07/2017This looks so good! I’m not the biggest fan of cherries but they sound good in this. And the best part is how simple it seems to make and you. Definitely going to try this before long
Hannah Palamara
02/07/2017This looks delicious and seems not too hard to make! I am definitely going to give it a try.
Joanie @ One Dish Kitchen
03/07/2017Such a pretty dessert and the cherries in our local market have been so big and beautiful, perfect for this recipe. I’ve never made a vegan version before, I’m looking forward to trying your recipe.
Alicia
04/07/2017Yum this looks so good! I love your website thanks for being a friend to the animals!
I nominated you for the Blogger Recognition Award. You deserve it :) I linked your blog to my post: http://www.stayathomecatmom.com/blogger-recognition-award/
Thanks for being amazing!
Meow for now!
Alicia & Rose from Stay at Home Cat Mom
Lindsay
05/07/2017MERCI for this recipe! I love all things French so much (and I love cherries!!). It’s so interesting that you were able to make the clafoutis vegan! I’m not vegan myself, but I think it is a good idea to have vegan recipes up your sleeve for vegan friends and family or party guests! This is on my list to try once I get started baking! xx, Lindsay
Kourtney
07/07/2017Thanks for posting such unique Vegan recipes ♥ I will just bookmark your site =)
Sammy
07/07/2017This recipe is unbelievable! I will pass it to my friend hoping she makes it for me (I’m too bad at baking) thanX
nigelt
19/07/2017Thanks for the share Francesca.
I love the photos you took, only wish I could do as well!
Emma
09/05/2021Looks very tasty in the pictures. Thanks for the recipe. I’ll take a note.
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