If I had to pick the recipe that combines the most impressive results with the least amount of effort and skill required, it would be the clafoutis. To look at it, you would think that it requires a lot of skill and most likely some fancy ingredients, but it most certainly does not. In fact, I bet there is a good chance that you have everything you need to make one in your house right now. Today, I am making an apple clafoutis, but you can use a wide variety of fruits. Black cherries are traditional, but apples are so fabulous! Apples do need to be lightly cooked a bit to soften them and bring out their very best flavor, but if you use plums or peaches or berries, you can use them as they come.
A clafoutis is lightly crisp on the edges, puffed up towards the middle with a custardy center and they can be enjoyed straight out of the oven or a few hours later. They are a wonderful dessert for so many occasions.
Lets get this beauty started…
Although any apple would work in this dish, I chose pink lady apples. If I am going to be cooking or baking the apples, I prefer to start with a more crisp type, so they have a chance to maintain their shape throughout the cooking process. I also like the pink lady flavor. It is a bit tart at first, but finishes sweet. The best of both worlds!
Whichever apple you decide on, peel and slice up 3 medium ones and cook them in a skillet with some butter and brown sugar. The clafoutis won’t be in the oven long enough to bake them through, so this helps to get them started.
Once the apples have begun to soften, set them aside.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place a 10″ shallow baking dish with 2 tablespoons of butter into the oven as it preheats.
In a large bowl, vigorously whisk 3 eggs with 1 cup of whole milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons of lemon zest and 1/2 cup of flour until frothy and fully combined.
As soon as your oven has preheated and your baking dish is hot, remove it from the oven and place it onto a flat, heat proof surface (such as a wooden cutting board) and carefully pour the batter into the hot dish. Spread the softened apples evenly throughout the batter, lightly sprinkle some coarse grained sugar over the top and return the dish to the oven immediately.
Bake on a middle rack at 350 degrees for somewhere between 26-28 minutes. The clafoutis is done when it is all puffed up and the edges have raised and become a golden brown.
Transfer the dish onto a heat proof surface to cool for about 5 minutes. This is what it looks like fresh out of the oven. So puffy and golden!
After 5 minutes, I dust the warm clafoutis with a little confectioners sugar to dress it up a bit.
The center is a bit like custard with soft, sweet baked apples and the edges are a bit like angel food cake with a crispy edge from the sugar you sprinkled over the top right before baking. If you ask me, this is one of the best desserts to keep in your kitchen tool box. It is simple, uses pantry ingredients and comes out just begging to be enjoyed.
You are going to love this French apple clafoutis.
Buon Appetito!
French Apple Clafoutis
Ingredients
- 3 medium apples, peeled, sliced
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon zest
- coarse grain sugar (garnish)
- confectioners sugar (garnish)
- whipped cream (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the peeled and sliced apples with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Mix to combine and stir occasionally until the apples begin to soften and then set them aside
- Place a 10" shallow baking dish with 2 tablespoons of butter into the preheating oven until the dish is hot and the butter is melted
- While the oven is preheating, add 3 eggs, 1 cup of whole milk, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons of lemon zest and 1/2 cup of all purpose flour into a large bowl and whisk vigorously until frothy and completely combined
- Remove the preheated dish from the oven and set it onto a flat, heat proof surface
- Carefully pour the batter into the dish
- Add the softened apples evenly throughout the batter, sprinkle a tablespoon of coarse grained sugar over the top and return it to the oven immediately
- Bake at 350 degrees on a middle rack for about 26-28 minutes
- Once the clafoutis is puffed and the edges are browned, remove it from the oven
- Allow it to cool for 5 minutes and dust with confectioners sugar before enjoying.
