Ah, Clafoutis—a classic French dessert that’s elegant yet simple. It’s like a custardy pancake baked over fruit, traditionally cherries, but it works with many fruits. Here’s a detailed guide:
Clafoutis
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
- 1 cup whole milk (or cream for richer custard)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cherries (pitted), or other fruits like blueberries, plums, or raspberries
- 2 tablespoons butter (for greasing)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9-inch round baking dish or pie pan with butter.
- Prepare the fruit
- Wash and pit cherries (or prep other fruits).
- Arrange evenly in the greased baking dish.
- Make the batter
- In a bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until combined.
- Gradually whisk in flour until smooth.
- Slowly add milk while whisking to create a thin, pourable batter.
- Assemble and bake
- Pour batter over the fruit in the dish.
- Bake 35–45 minutes, until custard is set and lightly golden on top.
- Serve
- Let cool slightly.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
- Can be served warm or at room temperature, sometimes with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Tips & Variations
- Fruit swap: Try plums, apricots, blueberries, or even sliced peaches.
- Traditional cherry clafoutis: Leave pits in cherries—the flavor is more intense, though eaters must avoid the pits.
- Texture: For a lighter custard, separate eggs and whip the whites before folding in.
- Serving: Clafoutis is excellent as a dessert, brunch item, or even breakfast treat.
If you want, I can give a “mini clafoutis in ramekins” version that makes individual servings, perfect for elegant plating and portion control.
Do you want me to do that version?
