With a name so distinctively French, we might expect the clafoutis to demand preparation as foreign and finicky as its pronunciation. Certain recipe authors would have us believe so, going full frog with calls for specific labels of pear brandy and measurements as precise as 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons.
Seriously? It’s just a giant fruit pancake.
In fact, the clafoutis is far easier than even the famously-simple American version: fewer ingredients, larger dice, no flipping—and it’s moist and sweet enough to dispense with the maple syrup. I don’t think French peasants stress the brandy (rumor has it they don’t even bother to pit their cherries). Neither should you.
[recipe title=”Clafoutis” servings=”your call” time=”one cup of coffee” difficulty=”zero cups of coffee” print=”true”]
Master Methodology
- Saute with butter and booze in an oven-proof skillet:
- 3 parts fruit
- Add a mixture of:
- 1 part flour
- 1 part sugar
- 1 part eggs
- 2 parts milk
- Bake until set.
Notes if you need ’em
- Fruit: stone fruit is typical; apples & pears are common
- Flavor: liqueur, vanilla, almond, or pie spices
- Bake: 30min at 350F?
- Garnish: sprinkle with sugar – granulated before baking (and broiling?) or powdered after
Join the Virtual Potluck
They say you taste first with the eyes, and if you've given this recipe a go, we'd all love a visual nibble. What aggressive improvisation did you apply? Did it succeed brilliantly or fail spectacularly? To show off your marvel (or mess), dust off your smartphone:
