Half the Sugar Baker
This berry clafoutis is the perfect celebration of summer and fresh berries! The custard is light and melt in your mouth without overpowering the fruit. This might be one of Julia Child’s easiest and most delicious recipes ever – with a few of my own twists! Get ready to be mind blown by this amazing dessert.
What is clafoutis?
So what even is clafoutis? Chances are, many people haven’t even heard of this amazing dessert! Clafoutis is a traditional French dessert that is made with a baked custard/flan like base and fruit. It is commonly made with cherries, but you can make it with any fruit. It is also usually topped with some powdered sugar and served warm. The batter is similar to pancake batter and is lightly sweetened. This recipe is based off of Julia Child’s which was featured in her cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”
Why I love this Berry Clafoutis
There’s nothing better than fresh summer fruit, whether it’s blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, cherries, or peaches! This clafoutis recipe comes from the master chef Julia Child, and she highlights these fruits perfectly. The custard base is light and delicately flavored so it doesn’t overwhelm the fruit. This recipe is also super easy and comes together in a blender (or by hand). The ingredients are basic staples that you probably already have in your house. Plus, this dessert is low fat and has much less sugar than traditional sweets! Feel free to make this recipe with other fruits as well like plums, apples, and pears.
Ingredient notes:
- Milk: I used 2% milk because that’s what I had in the fridge, but you can definitely use whole milk or 1% milk.
- Sugar: I really like this clafoutis because it is lightly sweetened with just 1/3 cup granulated sugar. If you prefer a sweeter dessert or if your fruit is especially tart, try increasing the sugar to 2/3 cup.
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract: This recipe calls for an entire tablespoon of vanilla extract, but it is not overpowering. I also like to use 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract which add a light boozy flavor to the clafoutis.
- Flour: This recipe calls for all purpose flour, but you could also try substituting 1/4 cup of almond flour. This will result in a denser, more cake-like clafoutis.
- Lemon zest: I think that lemon zest adds a really nice fresh flavor that compliments the berries. If you don’t have it, feel free to skip it!
- Berries: You will need 3 cups of berries for this recipe. The sweeter and fresher they are, the better your result will be! Feel free to experiment with different berries or mix and match! Clafoutis is traditionally made with cherries. You could also try fruits like peaches, apples, and pears! If you are using frozen berries, do not let them thaw. Your clafoutis might need to bake for longer because there is more liquid.
Technique notes:
- To make this clafoutis, you will need a baking dish that is also flame prove because you will be heating it on the stove. I used my cast iron skillet which was a little too large so the clafoutis came out fairly thin. If you have a smaller pan, use that instead. Whatever you use, it will taste amazing! Make sure you grease the pan VERY generously with butter or oil so that the clafoutis doesn’t stick.
- This recipe is super simple because you basically add all the ingredients to a blender and it comes together without any whisking or bowls. If you don’t have a blender, it is totally fine to make this in a bowl with a whisk.
- Once your batter is ready, pour a thin layer (around 1/4 inch thick) into your prepared pan. Heat it over low heat so you don’t burn it. Allow a thin layer of batter to set on the bottom of the pan (not the entire 1/4 inch – just the bottom!)
- Allow the clafoutis to bake for around 50 minutes if it is in a smaller pan. If it is in a larger dish like mine, it might be done in 45 minutes because it is thinner. The top will be lightly browned and the berries should be bubbly around the edges. You can test the clafoutis with a toothpick inserted in the center. It should come out clean without and batter.
- After baking, let this clafoutis cool slightly and serve it warm with a dusting of powdered sugar. I also recommend serving with some whipped cream or ice cream.
- If you have any leftovers, you can refrigerate it and microwave before serving the next day.
If you liked this Berry Clafoutis, you might also like…
- Airfryer Blueberry Pie Bites
- Mug Peach Cobbler
- Healthier Blueberry Cobbler
- Summer Peach Cake
- Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
- Jammy Strawberry Cake
This recipe is adapted from this NYT cooking recipe!
Julia Child Inspired Berry Clafoutis
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar divided
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract optional
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest optional
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups berries or sliced fruit
- powdered sugar for dusting on top optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Generously grease a medium flameproof baking dish (around 9 inch diameter) with butter or oil.
- Add the milk, half of the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, lemon zest, and flour to a large blender. Blend on high for 1 minute until smooth and bubbly. If you don't have a blender, whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
- Pour a layer of batter into the greased dish, around 1/4 inch thick. Heat the dish over low heat until a thin layer sets on the bottom of the dish. Remove from the heat and scatter the berries on top. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the berries. Pour the remaining batter over the berries.
- Bake the clafoutis in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. The top should be lightly browned and an inserted toothpick should come out clean. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Optionally dust with powdered sugar and serve warm. Enjoy!
The freshest flour I had was Bobs Red Mill coconut flour. I used Slenda twin. And sprinkled blueberries with cinnamon sugar.
A mix of frozen and fresh blueberries.
Hello halfthesugarbaker.com webmaster, Thanks for the well-organized and comprehensive post!
Hi Tahlia, I’m so glad you are enjoying this post!
So simple and good way to include fruit
Yes! It’s my favorite way to enjoy summer fruit. Thank you for the review!