This week's work · 2026-06-01
Early cherries and the clafoutis that welcomed summer
The first cherries of the year landed at the market, and we did the only reasonable thing: baked them into a warm, custardy clafoutis and ate it straight from the pan.
The first cherries of the year appeared at the market on the first day of June, dark and glossy in big bins, and we stood there a minute just looking at them. We bought two pounds, ate a handful in the car, and knew exactly what the rest were for.
A clafoutis is the easiest dessert that still feels like a production — a simple batter of eggs, cream, sugar, and flour poured over cherries in a buttered dish and baked until it puffs and sets. The fruit sinks a little, the custard rises around it, and the whole thing comes out of the oven smelling like summer.
We ate it warm out of the pan with spoons, the way you're supposed to, the custard still trembling at the center. The cherries had turned jammy and dark, and the top was golden and faintly crisp.
The lesson was about firsts again, but faster this time. Cherries don't wait, and neither should you. Bake them the day you buy them.
Cherries don't wait, and neither should you — bake them the day you buy them.
02 · The recipe
Early Cherry Clafoutis
Dark cherries baked in a simple custard of eggs, cream, and sugar until puffy and golden — the easiest dessert that still feels like a production.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Yield
- One 9-inch clafoutis, 6 servings
What you'll need
Non-perishable
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Perishable
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh cherries, pitted
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, for the dish
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Method
- Heat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch pie dish or shallow baking dish generously with the melted butter.
- Arrange the pitted cherries in the dish in a single layer.
- Whisk the eggs and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl until pale, then whisk in the cream, milk, flour, salt, and vanilla until smooth — a few small lumps are fine.
- Pour the batter over the cherries. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
- Bake 35–40 minutes, until puffed, golden, and just set in the center with a slight jiggle. Cool 10 minutes, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm — straight from the dish is acceptable and encouraged.
03 · What we used
The one thing worth mentioning.
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ingredient
India Tree Superfine Caster Cane Sugar
For a silky custard with a golden top, fine sugar is the move.
Why we loved it: Superfine sugar dissolves faster, which means the custard stays silky and the top turns evenly golden. It's the little upgrade that shows up in the texture.
Worth knowing: Costs more than standard sugar, but you use it for baking, where it matters most.
See the exact item on Amazon
ingredient
King Arthur 100% Organic All-Purpose Flour
The clafoutis needs structure without density — this is the flour that gets that balance right.
Why we loved it: The gold standard for home bakers — consistent protein, no bleaching, and it's what most recipe developers test with. Half a cup is just enough to give the custard structure without turning it into cake.
Worth knowing: Costs a little more than store-brand flour, but the consistency is worth it for baking.
See the exact item on Amazon
ingredient
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
Salt in the custard is what makes the fruit taste like fruit — this is the one we reach for.
Why we loved it: The crystals are light and grabby, so you can season by feel — and a pinch in a sweet custard is the quiet difference between flat and round.
Worth knowing: It's a bigger box than you need at first, but it keeps forever and you'll use it daily.
See the exact item on Amazon
ingredient
Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract
One teaspoon of real vanilla is what makes the clafoutis taste like a pastry shop's.
Why we loved it: The aroma is round and floral rather than sharp, and it carries through the bake without fading. It's the vanilla we reach for when we're proud of what's in the oven.
Worth knowing: It costs more than imitation, but a bottle lasts through a season of baking.
See the exact item on Amazon
ingredient
Wholesome Organic Powdered Sugar
The white dusting against the golden crust is the classic look — this is the sugar that does it right.
Why we loved it: It's the clean, dependable kind — no gritty residue, and it stays put on the warm crust just long enough to melt a little at the edges. A dusting is the traditional finish for a clafoutis.
Worth knowing: It's a finishing sugar — you're buying it for the dusting, and a bag lasts a long time.
See the exact item on Amazon
