Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Fruit & Preparation
- 15 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 15 g granulated sugar
- 350 g fresh raspberries, washed and patted very dry
Custard Batter
- 3 eggs, large, room temperature
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 1 g salt
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- 200 ml heavy cream
- 60 ml whole milk
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Garnish
- 10 g powdered sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 308 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 33 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 22 g
- Sodium
- 118 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 146 mg
- Potassium
- 182 mg
- Calcium
- 65 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 21 mg
- Phosphorus
- 109 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 204 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 15 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 6 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.24 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 29 mcg
- Water
- 101 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/355°F. Generously grease your baking dish with the 15g of butter and dust with 15g of granulated sugar, shaking out the excess. This creates a caramelized crust.
Arrange the raspberries in a single layer at the bottom of the prepared dish. Do not overcrowd; they should cover the bottom but have space for the batter to settle between them.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, 80g sugar, and salt vigorously until the mixture is pale and slightly frothy, about 2 minutes.
Whisk in the flour until just combined and smooth. Do not overwork the batter once the flour is added.
Slowly pour in the heavy cream, milk, and vanilla extract, whisking gently to combine into a smooth, thin batter.
Pour the batter gently over the raspberries. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 180°C/355°F. The clafoutis is done when it is puffed, golden brown around the edges, and the center is set but still jiggles slightly when the dish is nudged.
Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. The puff will deflate significantly; this is normal. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Chef's Notes
- While traditionally made with unpitted cherries (which impart an almond flavor), raspberries pair beautifully with this high-cream custard base. Since we omit the pits, vanilla is key.
- Do not open the oven door during the first 25 minutes of baking, or the clafoutis may collapse prematurely.
- Serve lukewarm rather than hot; the custard texture and fruit flavor are much more pronounced after resting for 15-20 minutes.
- Ensure all dairy and eggs are at room temperature before mixing to prevent the butter in the batter (if using) or fat in the cream from clumping, though this recipe uses liquid fat (cream) mainly.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Texture becomes denser when cold; reheat gently before serving.
Reheating: Warm in a 150°C oven for 5-10 minutes or microwave briefly.
Troubleshooting
Texture is rubbery or tough
Cause: Overmixing the batter after adding flour developed too much gluten
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but serve with extra fresh cream to mask texture
Prevention: Whisk flour in gently until just combined, or mix liquids first and flour last
Watery layer at the bottom
Cause: Raspberries were wet when added
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Wash fruit well in advance and ensure they are thoroughly patted dry
Cultural Context
Originating from the Limousin region of France, Clafoutis is a humble country dish designed to showcase seasonal fruit. While the name is strictly reserved for black cherries in purist circles (raspberry versions are technically 'flaugnarde'), it remains a staple of French home cooking.
