This gluten-free clafoutis is a simple, rustic French dessert filled with fresh pears baked in a tender custard.
This past weekend I had a sudden yearning for clafoutis, the classic dessert that every French grandmother has in her repertoire.
Clafoutis is one of those rustic desserts that defies classification. Imagine a cross between, a Dutch baby pancake, and a flan, studded with seasonal fruit. The combination of warm juicy fruit in a silky baked custard base is a pretty irresistible one. It’s a simple, unpretentious dessert, but one that’s guaranteed to please.
A classic throughout France, originally hailing from the Limousin region, clafoutis is thankfully also delightfully easy to make. Like making pancakes, all you need are a few basic ingredients for the batter and some ripe fruit.
I’m using pears for this gluten-free clafoutis because they’re in season now and their delicate flavor pairs so nicely with the almond and vanilla flavored custard but you could also use the more traditional cherries (even frozen work fine, just thaw and drain them first.)
Flognarde vs Clafoutis:
Now traditionally, versions made with anything other than cherries were referred to as flognarde instead of clafoutis (so you might still see that from time to time), but nowadays the term clafoutis has come to encompass all versions sweet and even savory so that’s what I’m calling mine.
How to make a clafoutis:
Whatever you choose to call it, the real joy of this charmingly rustic dessert is how simple it is to make.
Quickly whisk or blend together your batter, pour it over a pile of thinly sliced pears and into the oven it all goes.
As it bakes it will puff and brown around the edges but remain soft and creamy on the inside. You can serve it warm from the oven for dessert, at room temperature for brunch or even cold from the fridge the next day for breakfast.
It’s a sweet , cozy and comforting treat.
More French desserts:
Gluten-Free Clafoutis
This gluten-free clafoutis is a simple, rustic French dessert filled with fresh pears baked in a tender custard.
Ingredients
- Coconut oil for baking dish
- 3 medium pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup/240g coconut milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon Poire Williams pear brandy (optional)
- ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons/90ml light colored honey
- ½ cup + 1 Tablespoon/63g almond flour
- ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons /48g arrowroot flour
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 35o degrees F. Grease a 9-inch ceramic tart dish or pie plate with coconut oil; set aside.
- Gently toss sliced pears with lemon juice and layer evenly on the bottom of prepared dish.
- Blend coconut milk, eggs, vanilla, pear brandy, honey, almond flour, arrowroot and salt in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute. The mixture will be thin, like crêpe batter.
- Pour batter evenly over pears. Bake until golden and set, about 35-40 minutes.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 269Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 49mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 3gSugar: 20gProtein: 5g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
(This post originally appeared on Dec 14, 2011 and has been updated along with both the photos and recipe.)
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Sue says
Can almond milk be used in place of the coconut milk?
Sylvie says
Hi Sue, you can substitute almond milk if you'd prefer but the resulting custard won't be quite as creamy, I might try cashew milk instead.
Victoria says
LOVED the pear clafoutis! It's become a go to recipe in my house. I want to try a cherry version. What amount of cherries would you use? Thanks!
Sylvie says
Glad to hear that! You'd want just enough cherries to cover the bottom of the baking dish in a single layer. I'd say maybe 2 cups?
Paulina says
The ingredients list arrowroot, but the directions mention tapioca. Are they interchangeable? Which one should I use?
Sylvie says
Hi Paulina, thanks for catching that! The recipe was tested with both, however the arrowroot is gave the best result and is what I recommend here.
Daniel says
Hi Sylvie,
I made your original recipe back in 2011 and I have made it again and again. It's a great recipe because it reliably produces a great result every time and I can substitute other fruits. Tonight I made a flognarde using your updated recipe and with grapes instead of pears. It was delicious. Thanks to you!
Hannah says
I love pears and I'm really happy when I find me some gluten-free clafoutis! Looks really tasty! 🙂
Natalie says
YUM! It looks simply delicious ♥
Myra Terziev says
I made the clafoutis recipe today using coconut flour instead of almond flour. Comparing the result to a version I made from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, the French is more flan-like and a bit lighter. Her cooking temp and time are lower and longer. This version came out more cake-like, the pears were tasty, but I prefer butter and all-purpose flour to the coconut oil and flour (greasier for the oil, grainier for the flour). I added a dash of nutmeg which gave some depth. Vanilla ice cream would be a nice pairing.