This sensational French clafoutis recipe is filled with fresh fruit and custard-like cream filling. It’s a classic dessert that’s perfect for breakfast or after a meal. And the best part? It’s so easy to make!
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and guess what? Clafoutis counts as breakfast! The first time I stumbled upon clafoutis was a few years ago in France. It was one of my first trips together with Erez and we didn’t make any restaurant reservations like we do today months in advance. It was a busy night and we had no luck finding a nice place, but we were starving so we ended up in a tiny restaurant that didn’t look very promising. The food wasn’t great, but the dessert – raspberry clafoutis – made everything better. I had never tried it before but have made it dozens of times ever since.
What is clafoutis?
Clafoutis is a French dessert made with fruit covered in a batter that consists of eggs, sugar, milk, and flour. It’s a thick custard that is similar to flan in texture. It is usually made with cherries, but other fruits can be used as well. The recipe is simple to make and you won’t believe the results! A savory version of clafoutis consists of tomatoes, cheese, and prociutto.
How to make clafoutis
Learn how to make this incredibly simple, yet sensational clafoutis recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Butter a 9-inch cast iron skillet or pie pan. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and salt for about a minute until well combined.
- Add flour and whisk until smooth and lump free.
- Whisk in melted butter, followed by the milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Make sure that the mixture is completely smooth. Pour batter into your prepared pan and ccatter fruit onto the batter.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until the clafoutis is set and golden at the edges. It’s ok if it’s still wobbly in the center. Let cool slightly until lukewarm. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.
Note: The clafoutis will puff up and get golden on top, but the inside will stay soft and creamy. Serve it immediately after baking while it’s still warm. Traditional clafoutis is dusted with powdered sugar on top. It is baked in a large dish so it’s great as a sweet treat for a weekend brunch with the family.
Which fruits should I use?
Cherries and raspberries are my favorite fruits to use in clafoutis but peaches, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, pears, or other soft fruit will work well in this recipe.
How to store leftover clafoutis
Clafoutis tastes best when eaten immediately after it is made, while it’s still warm. If you have any left over, you can store them in the refrigerator and warm slices in the microwave for about 20 seconds or in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350°F/180°C to reheat. However, clafoutis does not freeze well. The fruit can make it soggy and not as tasty.
More Sensational Breakfast Treats:
- Peanut Butter Pancakes: Made with creamy peanut butter and dark chocolate chips.
- Soft Ricotta Pancakes: Light, airy, and delicious.
- My Favorite Waffles: Best served with fresh fruit and maple syrup!
- Crepes: Delicate and flavorful, fill these crepes with whatever you like.
- Perfect Cinnamon Rolls: Ooey, gooey, and topped with amazing cream cheese frosting.
Clafoutis
A delicate yet rich French dessert made with fresh berries and a baked custard filling. Top with a dash of powdered sugar for breakfast or dessert!
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (70g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Finely grated zest of ½ lemon, optional
- 2 cups pitted cherries, berries, or other fruit**
- Powdered sugar, for garnish
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Butter a 9-inch cast iron skillet or pie pan.*** In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and salt for about a minute until well combined. Add flour and whisk until smooth and lump free. Whisk in melted butter, followed by the milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Make sure that the mixture is completely smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Scatter fruit onto the batter.
-
Bake for 35-40 minutes until the clafoutis is just set (it’s ok if it’s still wobbly in the center) and golden at the edges. Let cool slightly until lukewarm. Dust with powdered sugar, if you like. Cut into wedges and serve.
Recipe Notes
*Using heavy cream in addition to milk makes this dessert rich but also super delicious. If you want to keep things lighter and leave out the cream, use a total of 1 and ¼ cups milk instead.
**My favorite fruits for clafoutis are cherries and berries. Make sure they are sweet and tasty before using them.
***A cast iron skillet retains the heat well, but if you don’t have one you can use any 9-inch dish. Use a shallow dish if you have one.
