This easy traditional Kentish Cherry Batter Pudding is often compared to French clafoutis, though it features a thicker batter for a more classic British pudding texture.

Table of Contents

Ingredients and substitutions for Kentish Cherry Batter Pudding
- Cherries: Fresh is best here as frozen would result in a soggy custard, or worse, one that doesn’t set during baking. It’s also best to pit these, if you do not have a cherry pitter, a paper clip can help do the job.
- Sugar: Superfine or caster sugar is best here because of how easily it dissolves and ensures our mixture is smooth whilst adding sweetness without adding additional flavors to our custard. Raw sugar or light brown sugar are good substitutes, though the result might be a caramel flavor to the custard.
- Flour: Not much flour is needed here so plain works best to help thicken the custard up as it bakes. You could replace with corn starch, if you want to make this gluten free; or replace with gluten free flour.
- Cream: Light pouring cream adds a light texture to the pudding.
- Eggs: As well as adding structure to the clafoutis, the eggs will bind everything together so are essential.
- Cherry brandy: The alcohol content will help draw out the juices in the cherries. If you do not have cherry brandy, almond extract which has a similar flavor profile also works well here. However, other than light flavoring there won’t be a huge amount of juices created from the extract.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Kentish Cherry Batter Pudding:
Step 1: Toss: The cherry ingredients together and allow to sit until lightly juicy.
Step 2: Dry ingredients: Stir the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Step 3: Form a batter: Add egg yolks and cream and whip to form a batter.
Step 4: Finished batter: Add the remaining ingredients and whip on low until smooth.
Step 5: Whipped egg whites: Until soft peaks then fold into the batter mixture.
Step 6: Assemble: Toss most of the cherries into a baking dish and pour over the batter.
Step 7: Bake: Toss the remaining cherries on top and bake until golden.
Step 8: Cool and serve: Cool to warm or cooled completely, sprinkle over a little powdered sugar or top with whipped cream and serve up. Dig in!
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Kentish Cherry Batter Pudding
Ingredients
Cherries
- 450 grams / 1 pound cherries pitted
- 1 tablespoon cherry brandy or 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 14 grams / 1 tablespoon superfine/caster sugar
Pudding
- 75 grams / ½ cup - 1 teaspoon plain flour sifted
- 75 grams / ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 135 grams / 3 medium eggs room temperature and separated
- 304 grams / 1 ¼ cups - 1 teaspoon single cream
- 90 grams / ⅓ cup - 1 teaspoon cloudy apple juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 40 grams / 3 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Toss the cherries, brandy or extract and sugar into a bowl and stir. Set aside at room temperature for at up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- For the pudding, preheat your oven to 180C/350F and brush 5 grams / 1 teaspoon of the melted butter over your baking dish. Set the remaining butter aside.
- Stir the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl, making a well in the center.
- Add the egg yolks and pour in the cream, slowly whisking to form a batter.
- Pour in the apple juice, extract and remaining 15 grams / 1 tablespoon melted butter into the batter, stirring until smooth.
- Place the egg whites into a clean and dry bowl and whip until soft peaks form.
- Fold into the batter until smooth.
- Toss ⅔’s of the cherries into your baking dish and pour the batter over the top. Drop the remaining cherries into the batter and bake for 20 minutes.
- Lower the heat to 160C/320F and continue baking until only slightly wobbly and golden, approximately 20 minutes (total bake time is 40 minutes).
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool to warm.
- Sprinkle over powdered sugar and spoon into serving bowls with a dollop of whipped cream.
- Dig in!
Notes
- Cherries: Fresh is best here as frozen would result in a soggy custard, or worse, one that doesn’t set during baking. It’s also best to pit these, if you do not have a cherry pitter, a paper clip can help do the job.
- Cherry brandy: The alcohol content will help draw out the juices in the cherries. If you do not have cherry brandy, almond extract which has a similar flavor profile also works well here. However, other than light flavoring there won’t be a huge amount of juices created from the extract.
- Baking dish: The size of the baking dish used here was 30 x 19.5 centimeters or 12 x 7.75 inches. Any medium sized baking dish will work a charm here.
- Make the batter ahead: You can prepare the batter and refrigerate, covered for several hours, if you prefer.
- Other fruit filling: This is traditionally made with cherries, though plums, apricots or blackberries would even work here to make this a dish you can make for several months of the year.
- Best served: This is best served within 2 days of baking. Keep covered and in the refrigerator once cooled.
Nutrition
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