How to pronounce clafoutis

Clafoutis (French pronunciation: ​[klafuti]; Occitan: clafotís [klafuˈtis] or [kʎafuˈtiː]), sometimes spelled clafouti in Anglophone countries, is a baked French dessert of fruit, traditionally black cherries, arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a thick flan-like batter.

: a dessert consisting of a layer of fruit (such as cherries) topped with batter and baked.

Clafoutis originated in a region in south-central France called Limousin. Its name comes from the Occitan word “clafir,” meaning “to fill.” So popular was it “to fill” a dish with fruit and batter, that by the 19th century, clafoutis‘ renown had spread from Limousin to other regions of France and bordering countries.

Every. Single. Time.) In case you’re wondering– clafoutis is pronounced cla-foo-tee, and I believe flognarde is one of those unpronounceable, made-up words that no one really understands how to say.

Similar to a clafoutis, which is made with black cherries, a flaugnarde is made with apples, peaches, pears, plums, prunes or other fruits. Resembling a sweet batter pudding or large pancake, the dish is dusted with confectioner’s sugar and can be served either warm or cold.

How Does Clafoutis Taste? Clafouti has the texture of an oven-baked pancaked. It is sweet, but not terribly so, and the chunks of fresh fruit are enjoyable to the palate.

They are both virtually the same in that they’re made with a custard batter of milk, flour, sugar, and eggs. The difference is in the fruit. It’s a simple dessert that is excellent any time of year but especially good when fruit is at its peak season. Below are some flaugnarde and clafoutis recipes to give a try.

Because the clafoutis contains eggs and has the consistency of custard, it should be refrigerated once it cools.

They are basically the same dish except the cooking of the soft revueltos is halted as the eggs congeal, the latent heat finishing the dish to its silky conclusion. Make sure the eggs are the right size as too much egg white to flour will make a more rubbery texture.

Enjoy It Warm or Cold

I like to eat clafoutis warm but not too hot, so I usually let it sit at least 10 to 15 minutes before spooning into it. It can also be eaten cold—it firms up a lot more as it cools, and I like to eat the cold leftovers topped with yogurt for breakfast the next morning.

Serving: The clafoutis can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold. It’s traditionally not served with any accompaniment.

After complaints that Blanc’s clafoutis tastes “a bit eggy“, however, I’m going to err more to towards Conran’s slightly heavier hand with the flour – the base is still soft and custardy enough to make this a luxurious, but surprisingly light, dish. Absolutely delicious, certainly, but not strictly a clafoutis.

You can freeze clafoutis for only 1 week. You can freeze it either as a whole dessert or in individual portions. Just make sure you wrap the portions well to keep them from getting freezer burnt.

Recipe Notes

Store leftovers either in an airtight container or wrapped well with plastic in the fridge. It will last 3-4 days, and is best if reheated. Zap the clafoutis for 15 second intervals until it’s warm. You can also cover it with foil and bake at 350F for 5-10 minutes, or until warm.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for just 10 minutes. Dust with powders sugar and serve. Note: Clafoutis will deflate over time so best to serve it fresh from the oven. Cover and store leftover clafoutis in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.