Clafoutis! Ohhh lala.
It sounds so French! It sounds so fancy!! It sounds… so…
Complicated.
But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Well, except the French part. It is most definitely French.
It’s also stupid simple to make.
So… What is it?
Well for starters, it’s really fun to say. Klah-Foo-Tee!
Say it with me: Cla-FOUUUUUUUU-tis!
Part fruit, part custard and part cake, clafoutis is in a category all it’s own. Traditionally, it’s made with cherries and served warm as a rustic French dessert. But for the past few years I’ve been making it with all sorts of different fruit and eating it cold for breakfast.
That’s right, dessert for breakfast. Hear me out.
Our society is totally cool with labeling a cheesecake-stuffed-batter-dipped-fried white bread topped with artificially flavored corn syrup and a dollop of “whipped topping” as a breakfast. But the second you suggest having cake as the first meal-of-the-day everyone gets their panties in a bunch.
Okay, maaaaaaaaybe I’ve been known to eat actual cake for breakfast once in a while. But that’s not the point!
What I’m trying to say is that there’s a blurred line between breakfast and dessert that I think it should be celebrated rather than chastised. More desserts for breakfast and vice versa. More breakfast cookies. More clafoutis! You feel me?
This so-called dessert is convenient, surprisingly healthy and delicious. Just look at the ingredients!
A classic clafoutis consists of all the usual breakfast suspects: eggs, milk, flour, and fruit. Swap out the white sugar for pure maple syrup, and this baby has healthy breakfast written all over it.
I keep mine in the fridge and grab a slice to take with me in the morning. Once chilled, it holds it’s shape beautifully and is perfect to take on the go.
I usually scarf mine down in the car, pizza style, but you can be more sophisticated and eat it with a knife and fork should you choose.
You can even make a dairy free version by using your favorite non-dairy milk, or make it gluten-free by using a gluten free flour blend. Or, sub out the berries for your favorite fruit instead. This recipe is malleable. Go ahead and make it your own.
Slightly sweet, creamy, fruit flecked, protein-packed goodness.
This recipe is easy to adapt, easy to make, easy to take on the go, and easy to feel good about eating. What more could you want in a breakfast?
- Butter or coconut oil for greasing
- 2-3 cups berries - blackberries are my favorite - washed and patted dry
- 4 eggs
- 1/3 cup grade b pure maple syrup
- 1 cup milk - cow, goat, sheep, soy, almond, hemp, quinoa, rice, coconut.. whichever you fancy
- zest from one lemon - use a meyer lemon if you can find one!
- Seeds from 1/2 of a vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup flour - AP or a gluten free blend
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a pie plate or cast iron skillet liberally with butter or coconut oil and scatter the berries evenly around. Whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, milk, lemon zest, vanilla and salt until combined. Slowly add the flour and cinnamon and whisk until no lumps remain.
- Pour the batter over the berries and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until it's puffed, golden brown and set (not wiggly in the middle when shaken). Cool completely then transfer to the refrigerator for several hours until cold. Slice and serve (may also be served warm if preferred).
- Not only is this a great grab-and-go breakfast, it's gorgeous and fancy enough to serve at a nice brunch. Dust with a little powdered sugar and serve with maple sweetened whipped cream to make it extra special.
Nicole Gaffney, aka Coley, is a professionally trained chef, recipe developer, tv host and food writer.
sounds so good, can’t wait to try it.I love any type of custard. Michele Lub
You will love it Michelle!!
I never watch what I eat until now I’m a mom of two school-age kids, I do want them to have a good start in the moirnng. Our schooldays breakfast menus include:- hot steel cut oatmeal w/ flaxseed meal & drizzled w/ raw honey- multigrain toast drizzled w/ raw honey- “made from scratch” blueberries pancake w/ flaxseed meal- 1/2 avocado sprinkled w/ course salt & lime juice- bran flax or plain multigrain cheeriosOne of the above plus the following to complete one breakfast:- 1/2 hard boiled egg- low fat milk- 1 serving of fruitI hope this is a dietician-approved menu but certainly moms-approved :). Keep rotating these every weekdays I do feel like I’m running out of ideas!Enjoy your blog very much, particularly like your portion control. Keep up the good work!
Such good timing! I was looking for a recipe to take to a French family’s Epiphany party. It’s in the oven now- with blueberries and orange zest, as that’s what I had on hand.
I’m so glad you found it in time! I bet it came out amazing with the blueberries and orange zest. I’d love to hear how it turned out!
It was amazing– so delicious. My 3 year old actually helped make it- that’s how easy it is, people! Will be making again very soon! Thanks for the recipe.
I’ve never had clafoutis before! Looks yummy 🙂
It’s become an obsession. You have to make it!
Another wonderful recipe to add to my collection! Can’t wait to use this with the mulberries from our tree and impress my friends by making “clafoutis”. Question: sooooo… this is breakfast for you because it has eggs, milk, flour and fruit. If I put a chocolate covered cherry on top of a brownie (which also has eggs, flour, & cocoa (anti-oxidants, my friends), would it be considered that breakfast, too? hehehe!! LOVE the name, clafoutis!