Easy Plum Clafoutis: A Classic French Baked Custard Dessert
Indulge in the simple elegance of this Plum Clafoutis, a timeless French dessert that brings together the juicy sweetness of fresh plums with a creamy, custard-like batter. This recipe is incredibly quick, allowing you to have it prepped and ready for the oven in under 15 minutes, making it an ideal choice for a spontaneous sweet treat or a delightful addition to your afternoon tea. Its irresistibly smooth texture and vibrant fruit flavors offer a refreshing and comforting experience, perfect for any season, especially when plums are at their peak.
Why You’ll Adore This Easy Plum Clafoutis
If you’ve been searching for a simple yet elegant fresh plum dessert recipe, your quest ends here! This French Clafoutis with succulent plums is an absolute delight, perfectly suited for a warm summer evening or a cozy winter gathering. Its versatility means it can be savored warm, straight from the oven, or equally enjoyed chilled, making it a fantastic addition to any dessert table.
Clafoutis stands proudly at the top of the list when it comes to easy French desserts. While traditionally made with cherries, the beauty of a clafoutis lies in its adaptability. You can truly make it with any of your favorite fruits – from berries to pears – and it can even be transformed into a savory dish! This particular plum clafoutis recipe is not only incredibly straightforward but also requires minimal fuss, calling for no more than a whisk and a bowl to create a spectacular baked plum treat.
Embrace the bounty of summer plums with this delightful French “plum cake.” It’s a wonderful alternative to other plum-centric bakes like my popular Upside-Down Plum Cake and the comforting Yogurt Plum Cake. With its effortless preparation and satisfying results, this clafoutis is bound to become a staple in your dessert repertoire.
Understanding Clafoutis: A French Culinary Delight
A Clafoutis (pronounced “kla-foo-tee”) is a beloved Classic French Dessert originating from the Limousin region of France. It’s characterized by fresh fruits, traditionally whole, unpitted black cherries, baked into a thick, flan-like, or custard-like batter until beautifully set. The dessert is typically served warm, offering a comforting aroma and a delightful blend of fruit and creamy texture.
For the purists, a clafoutis is technically only called such when made with cherries. When other fruits are used, like plums in this recipe, it’s known as a “Flaugnarde.” However, in many parts of France, and certainly in modern culinary usage, the term “Clafoutis” is widely and affectionately applied to this style of baked fruit custard, regardless of the fruit. This reflects its widespread popularity and the simple joy it brings.
What Does a Clafoutis Taste and Feel Like?
The experience of a clafoutis is a fascinating blend of textures and flavors. Imagine a delightful cross between a rich, baked custard, a delicate flan, and a puffy, oven-baked pancake. This unique profile is beautifully complemented by the bursts of fresh, tender fruit (or even savory ingredients when adapted!).
The “pancake” comparison isn’t surprising at all, as the basic batter for clafoutis shares remarkably similar ingredients with classic French Crêpes! If you’ve ever enjoyed a fluffy Dutch Baby Pancake, you’ll find clafoutis to be quite similar in its eggy, baked goodness, though typically much thicker and denser, with the added bonus of baked-in fruit.
The plums soften and sweeten in the oven, releasing their juices into the batter, which then sets around them, creating a harmonious and comforting dessert. The edges often caramelize slightly, adding another layer of flavor and texture, while the center remains wonderfully moist and tender.
Essential Ingredients for Your Plum Clafoutis
As mentioned, a clafoutis batter closely resembles that of a crêpe, meaning it relies on extremely basic, pantry-friendly ingredients. This is precisely why clafoutis is renowned for being so wonderfully easy and quick to prepare.
To create this classic plum clafoutis recipe, gather the following (specific quantities are detailed in the recipe card below):
- Butter: Opt for unsalted butter to control the overall saltiness of your dessert. Melted butter adds richness and a tender crumb to the clafoutis.
- Eggs: Medium-sized eggs are ideal. Ensure they are at room temperature, as this helps them emulsify better with the sugar and create a smoother, lighter batter. Eggs provide structure and richness.
- Sugar: Caster sugar or fine white granulated sugar works best. Its fine granules dissolve quickly, contributing to a silky batter. This recipe is intentionally less sweet to highlight the natural flavor of the plums, but you can adjust it to your preference.
- Flour: Standard Plain or All-Purpose Flour is what you’ll need. It forms the structure of the custard, giving it body and stability.
- Salt: A small pinch of fine table salt is crucial. It balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors, making the dessert taste more vibrant.
- Milk: Full Cream Milk (whole milk) is highly recommended for the richest, creamiest results. However, you can use any type of dairy or non-dairy milk you prefer. Just like eggs, room temperature milk mixes more smoothly into the batter, preventing lumps.
- Vanilla – optional: A dash of vanilla extract or vanilla paste adds a wonderful aromatic depth that complements the plums beautifully. Don’t skip it if you love that classic dessert flavor!
- Fresh Plums: The star of the show! Choose ripe, sweet plums for the best flavor. Any variety – black, red, or yellow plums – will work wonderfully. Their natural sweetness will shine through the delicate custard.
One of the beauties of this batter is its versatility with fruits. While we’re focusing on plums here, you can use the exact same recipe with nearly any fruit you desire. My mother, for instance, often prepares this dessert with pears during the winter months, proving its year-round appeal.
More Delicious Plum Dessert Ideas:
- Plum Custard Tart
- Sourdough Plum Cinnamon Rolls from Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen
- Plum Muffins from Christina’s Cucina
Step-by-Step: Crafting Your Plum Clafoutis
Creating this delicious plum clafoutis is surprisingly simple, following the same easy method as my popular Cherry Clafoutis. You won’t need any fancy equipment – just a single bowl and a whisk will do! Here’s how to achieve perfection:
- **Prepare Your Plums:** Start by carefully cutting your fresh plums into uniform strips or cubes – I typically slice each plum into 8 pieces. Evenly sized pieces ensure consistent baking and distribution throughout the clafoutis. Set these aside while you prepare the batter.
- **Melt and Cool the Butter:** Gently melt your butter, either in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Once melted, set it aside to cool slightly. You don’t want to add hot butter to your egg mixture, as it could scramble the eggs.
- **Whisk Eggs and Sugar:** In a large mixing bowl, combine the room temperature eggs and caster sugar. Whisk them vigorously for at least two minutes until the mixture becomes pale in color, thickens slightly, and develops a light, foamy texture with visible bubbles on top. This aeration is key to a lighter, airier clafoutis.
- **Incorporate Dry Ingredients:** Sift the plain/all-purpose flour and salt directly into the egg mixture. Sifting prevents lumps and ensures a smooth batter. Mix gently with your whisk until all the flour is fully incorporated and no dry lumps remain. Be careful not to overmix at this stage.
- **Add Liquids and Flavor:** Pour in the room temperature full cream milk, the cooled melted butter, and the vanilla extract (if using). Continue to whisk until the batter is completely smooth and homogeneous. If you find yourself struggling with persistent lumps, an immersion blender can be a handy tool to quickly achieve a silky-smooth consistency.
- **Assemble and Bake:** Lightly grease your chosen baking dish – a large round ceramic dish works beautifully, but any oven-safe dish will do. Pour the prepared clafoutis batter into the dish, then artfully arrange the sliced plums over the top.
- **Bake to Perfection:** Transfer the dish to your preheated oven and bake for approximately 25 to 35 minutes, or until the clafoutis is golden brown around the edges and set firmly in the middle. The center should have a slight, gentle jiggle when the dish is lightly shaken, indicating a perfectly creamy custard.
Frequently Asked Questions About Plum Clafoutis
You can truly use any variety of plums you prefer – whether they are black, red, or yellow plums. The key is to select plums that are rather ripe and naturally sweet. Since the custard base of this dessert is relatively low in added sugar, using sweet fruits ensures a balanced and delicious flavor profile. Very tart plums might require a slight increase in the sugar quantity in the batter.
Absolutely! The plain/all-purpose flour in this recipe can easily be swapped for a good quality gluten-free all-purpose flour mix. Many clafoutis recipes also incorporate or are made entirely with ground almonds, which offers a lovely nutty flavor and naturally gluten-free option. You could try substituting part of the gluten-free flour with an equal part of almond meal for added richness, or explore recipes specifically designed with almond flour (though I haven’t personally tested an almond-flour-only version for this specific recipe).
After about 20 to 25 minutes of baking, gently give the dish a slight shake (remember to use oven mitts!). If you observe the batter visibly jiggling or sloshing significantly in the very center, it indicates that the custard has not fully set yet and needs more time. A slight, subtle wobble in the center is perfectly fine and often desirable, as it suggests a deliciously creamy texture. However, there should be no large, liquid-like movements. The edges should appear golden brown and puffed up.
While traditional cherry clafoutis often includes whole, unpitted cherries to impart a subtle almond flavor from the pits, for plums, it’s generally recommended to pit and slice them. Plums are larger and their pits can be quite large and inconvenient to eat around. Slicing them also allows their juices to meld more beautifully with the custard.
Yes, you can use frozen plums! There are a couple of approaches: you can either thaw them completely and drain any excess liquid before adding them to the batter, or you can add them frozen. If adding them frozen, be aware that they might release more water during baking, potentially making your clafoutis slightly less firm, and the baking time might need to be extended by a few minutes. If you thaw them, pat them dry to minimize extra moisture.
Storing and Reheating Your Plum Clafoutis
The ultimate way to enjoy a clafoutis is undeniably warm, fresh out of the oven, when its aromas are most potent and the custard is at its creamiest. However, if you have leftovers or prefer to prepare it in advance, proper storage is key.
Any clafoutis not served immediately should always be kept refrigerated. Once cooled, cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or transfer slices to an airtight container. When refrigerated, your plum clafoutis will maintain its deliciousness for 3 to 4 days, making it a great make-ahead dessert for entertaining.
Clafoutis holds up remarkably well in the fridge, so feel free to bake it 1 to 2 days before you plan to serve it. Just remember that it truly shines when warm, so be sure to gently reheat it before serving for the best experience.
The most effective method for reheating this dessert is in a pre-heated oven at 150°C (300°F) for about 10 minutes, or until it is warmed through but not boiling hot. For individual servings, you can also quickly reheat slices in the microwave. While some people enjoy clafoutis cold, I personally find its flavors and textures are vastly superior when served warm.
I generally do not recommend freezing a clafoutis. While technically possible, the freezing and thawing process can significantly alter the delicate texture of the custard, often making it watery or crumbly. For optimal flavor and consistency, clafoutis is best enjoyed fresh or simply refrigerated.
Delightful Ways to Serve Your Plum Clafoutis
The beautifully roasted plums nestled within the rich custard are a treat on their own, offering a wonderful balance of sweet and tart. However, if you’re looking to elevate your clafoutis and add an extra touch of indulgence, here are a few serving suggestions:
- **Vanilla Ice Cream:** A classic pairing! A generous scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream melting over the warm clafoutis creates a delightful contrast in temperature and texture.
- **Fruit Sorbet:** For a lighter, more refreshing contrast, serve with a scoop of Peach Sorbet (or even plum sorbet!). Its fruity tang and icy coolness will beautifully complement the warm, custardy dessert.
- **Fruit Coulis:** Drizzle your clafoutis with a vibrant homemade Strawberry or Raspberry Coulis. The bright, tangy fruit sauce will cut through the richness of the custard and add an extra layer of fruity flavor.
- **Warm Fruit Compote:** Top your clafoutis with a spoonful of warm Mixed Berry Compote or a sweet Blueberry Compote. This adds more texture and intensifies the fruit experience.
- **Dusting of Powdered Sugar:** For a simple yet elegant finish, a light dusting of powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) right before serving adds a touch of sweetness and a beautiful presentation.
- **Crème Fraîche or Whipped Cream:** A dollop of tangy crème fraîche or a cloud of freshly whipped cream can add a luxurious, creamy element that beautifully balances the sweetness of the plums.
Discover More Easy French Desserts
If you love the simplicity and charm of French baking, explore these other delightful and easy-to-make French dessert recipes:
- Easy French Apple Galette with Applesauce
- French Buckwheat Crêpes
- Easy French Apple Cake
- Almond and Peach Galette
- How to Make Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream)
- Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears
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Recipe Card
Easy French Plum Clafoutis
15 minutes
30 minutes
40 minutes
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 80 gr (1/3 cup) Unsalted Butter
- 5 Eggs
- 50 gr (1/4 cup) Caster Sugar, or Fine White Granulated Sugar
- 200 gr (1 1/3 cup) Plain / All-Purpose Flour
- 1 pinch Table Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Paste
- 500 ml (2 cups) Full Cream Milk
- 4 Plums
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F. This ensures the clafoutis bakes evenly and sets correctly from the start.
- Slice the Plums into thin strips or quarters – I find cutting each plum into 8 pieces works well. Set the prepared plums aside.
- Melt the Butter in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, then set it aside to cool slightly while you continue preparing the batter.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the Eggs and Caster Sugar together until the mixture is pale, thick, and foamy. This usually takes at least 2 minutes of vigorous whisking.
- Sift in the Flour and Salt. Continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth and completely free of lumps (see note 1). Avoid overmixing once the flour is added.
- Add the Milk (preferably at room temperature), the cooled melted Butter, and the Vanilla Extract. Whisk thoroughly until the batter is perfectly smooth and has no remaining lumps (see note 2 if you encounter stubborn lumps).
- Generously grease your chosen glass or ceramic baking dish. Pour the smooth Clafoutis batter into the prepared dish, then carefully arrange the sliced Plums evenly over the top of the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the clafoutis is golden brown around the edges and set firmly in the middle with only a slight jiggle.
- Serve warm, optionally dusted with powdered sugar or with your favorite toppings.
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Notes
- This recipe uses a moderate amount of sugar to let the natural sweetness of the plums shine. If your plums are particularly tart, or if you prefer a sweeter dessert, feel free to increase the sugar quantity in the batter by an extra 1-2 tablespoons.
- Ensuring eggs and milk are at room temperature helps create a smoother batter and prevents the melted butter from solidifying when added.
**Instructions Notes:**
- When adding flour, whisk just until combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten too much, leading to a tougher clafoutis rather than a tender one.
- If, despite whisking, you still have stubborn lumps in your batter, an immersion blender is a fantastic tool to quickly achieve a perfectly smooth consistency. Just a few pulses will do the trick.
Nutrition (per serving)