Basic Clafoutis
4.9
(47)
Approach the clafoutis batter as if you're making waffles! It's no more complicated than that. This recipe resonates with me because it is so simple and versatile and, at the same time, elegant. Most often I make a clafoutis in a black cast iron skillet or heavy pie pan because they retain the heat well. You can certainly use individual ramekins, a tart mold, or even a crêpe pan.
When you bake a clafoutis, it will puff up like a little soufflé, browned on the edges, but creamy within. I try to serve it immediately, because it will inevitably fall and deflate—but not to worry: This will happen and it's just as delicious anyway. If you understand this basic batter, the sky's the limit: it's a perfect blank canvas for almost any fruit you can think of: from choppable fruits like mango and banana, to cherries preserved in brandy. It's a recipe to draw upon all the year long. Variations follow, but here's the basic batter.
Ingredients
Serves 4–6
Preparation
Step 1
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and butter until the sugar is dissolved. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Pour the batter into a cast iron skillet or pie pan.
Step 2
2. Now add your favorite fruit or flavoring (see below). Bake until the clafoutis is beautifully puffed and golden, 35–40 minutes. Serve immediately.
Step 3
Clafoutis Variations:
Concord Grape Clafoutis: Once the batter is in the skillet, scatter 2 cups slightly crushed Concord or other black or red grapes on top.
Cherry Clafoutis: Scatter 2 cups pitted cherries onto the batter once it's poured into pie plates.
Pear Clafoutis with Pear Eau de Vie: Core 1 ripe pear and cut into pieces. Pour the batter into the skillet and top with the pear pieces. Bake. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons eau de vie and serve immediately.
Milk Chocolate and Hazelnut Clafoutis: Melt 1 cup chopped milk chocolate in a large mixing bowl set above a simmering pot of water. Fold in the clafoutis batter until smooth and fully incorporated. Pour into a skillet or pie plate, sprinkle with 1/4 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts, and bake.
Leave a Review
Reviews (47)
Back to TopI LOVE Clafouti! It is truly one of the simplest, yet most especially the first time elegant dessert ever! I generally serve mine with a little whipped cream to rave reviews after people taste it , especially for the very first time. They are understandably wary until that first mouthful, then BAM, they're fans for life!
Quinn'sBaba
Sunapee, NH
11/28/2022
I first learned to make clafoutis from my French mother-in-law many years ago. She never used a recipe to make her batter. This recipe is absolutely perfect. Beautiful and simply delicious , it's equally good warm or eaten cold the next day. Cast iron ensures excellent heat and a lovely golden crust. No need to fuss over the batter, just follow the directions and voilá: I'm magically transported to my dear departed mother-in-law's kitchen! Merci Epicurious!
Tracy Jill
Pompano Beach, Florida
9/17/2021
I agree with another reviewer regarding the order of mixing the ingredients. In a large glass bowl, melt the butter. Whisk in the sugar, several pinches salt, the extract, and then the eggs. Gradually whisk in flour until no lumps remain, and then slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Worked perfectly. Can’t give info on baking time because I used a different glass pan and a small convection oven that bakes very fast, but it still took 30 minutes even with it. I expect it would take longer in a regular oven, no convection. The only addition I made was salt, several pinches (that’s why only 3 fork rating). Annoying that it didn’t have it…almost all desserts need it. Yummy, and I have made LOTS of clafoutis. It is not a cake. It’s custard, folks!
cltz
Santa Barbara, CA
6/8/2021
I love this recipe! I live in Germany and use jarred Sauerkirchen from the store--just drain them (I save the juice but it's quite sweet) and after I butter my dish, I put the cherries in the bottom and then pour the batter on top. They pop up :) I use a hand blender to blend all the ingredients--makes it quite smooth and bakes well. I bake at 375 F (~190 C) for 35 mins.
dakmetz
Leipzig, Germany
11/20/2020
The recipe is great. But cooking at 325 for 35-40 minutes is wildly off the mark. It took over an hour at that temp. I also used blackberries, which I had on hand. Either raise the temperature or be prepared for a longer bake time. Because they’re less sweet than cherries I tossed the blackberries in sugar before adding them, used an additional 1/2 tsp almond extract to add that element to the flavor. I also sprinkled a little sugar on top at the end. Delicious!
akalla
Ventura CA
8/16/2020
Made this with some wild blueberries we bought up north. It was delicious. Baked it for 40 minutes at 325 F.
deepika_ganeshan
Toronto, Ontario
7/20/2020
P. S. 325 worked fine in 35 min, maybe because I only did a half recipe in a large pie dish.
maxine3
Burnaby, BC
6/25/2020
I made a half recipe using canned coconut milk abd one medium - lsrge duck egg, with thawed frozen raspberries and a cut up apple. Super yum!
maxine3
Burnaby, BC
6/25/2020
Simple, delicious, and if you need a dessert in a hurry you probably have the necessary ingredients in your refrigerator. I’ve made this three times and I love it
Caseycase
Connecticut
6/5/2020
I love this so much, and it’s silly easy. I make it all the time. My favorite version has cherries, so I use almond extract instead of vanilla. I also sprinkle some sliced almonds on top before I bake it. I have one in the oven right now.
ula_ashore
Texas Hill Country
2/25/2020
Ideal recipe, works beautifully with many fresh seasonal fruits including mulberries and vanilla, peaches with chunks of white chocolate (gotta love your white chocolate bush!), and plums. I must admit I do add a little baking powder and up the temperature a little. Tonight I am going to use fresh figs and passion fruit. Thanks so much.
Kimsty
Thorpdale, Vic, Australia
4/12/2018
I am allergic to dairy, so I substituted almond milk and I can't believe it's not butter. I used mango and plums with a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts. IMHO the temperature should be raised to 175F, which I did.
barbara305
Key West, Fl
7/29/2017
I love this dessert and have received great feedback from guests. Here's a delicious variation for those who are dairy and gluten-free: substitute coconut flour and coconut milk for wheat flour and the dairy. It adds a tropical twist to this classic French dessert.
ikibbitz
MA
5/28/2017
This was my first clafoutis and I loved it and my guests all raved as well. I made it with frozen cherries (thawed) and baked it at 355 F (my oven tends to be a little hot). It took about 10 minutes longer but was glorious! I love that it isn't too sweet. I will make it again, I am thinking with dried apricots reconstituted in apricot brandy.
desertmaven
Sechelt, BC Canada
3/6/2017
Mine is better. Butter your dish with salted butter. Oven temp is 350. Use 2 red or comice pears, peeled and sliced.(Press the top of your pear, by the stem, lightly. It should give gently.) 1/3c sugar + 1T. Add 1tsp. orange zest, pinch of nutmeg and 1/4 tsp salt. The rest matches this recipe. 1/2c flour,3 eggs,1c whole milk,1 1/2tsp vanilla.(Add the flour last) Use blender for 1 minute or so until frothy. Need a 3qt dish (10x11) 50 minute bake.. Serve with sifted powdered sugar. Loving the cherries. I will try that next.
kkopec
Door CountyDDoor
1/8/2017
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