Gluten Free · Dairy Free
French Classic Recipes
A clafoutis is a traditional French baked custard dessert — somewhere between a flan and a cake — that puffs up beautifully in the oven. This version pairs ripe pears with the delicate floral sweetness of elderflower.
Ingredients
Pears
- 4 cups of diced pears
- 1 tablespoon elderflower syrup
- Grated rind of 1 small orange
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Small pinch of salt
- 1 tsp dairy-free butter
Batter
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup gluten-free flour
- ½ cup Demerara sugar plus 1 tablespoon for dusting the buttered dish (or ¾ cup coconut sugar)
- 1 tablespoon elderflower syrup
- 1 cup dairy-free milk
- ½ cup coconut cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
- 2 tablespoons dairy-free butter, room temperature
Equipment
Shallow baking dish and an electric whisk.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Dice the pears and place them in a frying pan with the butter, grated orange rind, cinnamon and salt. Briefly sauté for about 2 minutes, then set aside.
- Butter the baking dish with dairy-free butter or coconut oil and sprinkle it with sugar.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric whisk to combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Mix in the flour until no lumps remain. Add the lemon zest, then the milk and coconut cream, mixing until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and pre-bake for 7 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and arrange the pears over the top (pre-baking prevents them from dropping all the way to the bottom). Bake for another 25–30 minutes, until the clafoutis is puffed and golden but still slightly creamy in the centre.
- Let it cool slightly and serve lukewarm.
Variations We Love at the Chateau
Marron Glacé, Candied Orange Peel & Armagnac Prune Clafoutis
- 1½ cups marron glacé
- 1½ cups Armagnac prunes
- 4 or 5 pieces of candied orange peel, finely chopped
This one is easy — just mix the candied orange peel in with the batter and arrange the cut-up Armagnac prunes and marron glacé on the partially cooked clafoutis.
And of course, the classic version with ripe cherries is fabulous too.
