This apple clafoutis is a wintery take on the classic French dessert, using apples instead of the traditional cherries. With warming cinnamon and a splash of vermouth, it’s the perfect dessert for the cooler months.
Clafoutis is one of the very first desserts I ever learned to make. I remember making it with one of my best friends when I was about ten years old, so it’s super nostalgic for me every time I come back to it. It’s probably why I’ve always thought of it as one of the easiest desserts you can make. If 10-year-old me could make it, you can too.
For this version, I gently cook the apples in butter with cinnamon and a splash of sweet vermouth before baking them into the batter. The poaching liquid is then reduced into a syrup and drizzled over the finished clafoutis with a dollop of vanilla crème fraîche.
In this Post
- What is Clafoutis?
- Ingredients
- How to make apple clafoutis
- Variations & Substitutes
- Storing & Reheating Leftovers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Recipe
What is Clafoutis?
Clafoutis (pronounced cla-foo-tee) is a classic French baked dessert made by pouring a simple batter over fruit before baking it until lightly puffed and custardy. It originates from the Limousin region of central France, where it’s traditionally made with whole black cherries.
The apple clafoutis is known in French as clafoutis aux pommes, swapping the traditional cherries for seasonal apples while keeping the same simple batter that makes clafoutis such an approachable dessert.
Ingredients
Apples: You can really use any variety of apple that you like. I just buy whatever is on special at the supermarket.
Flour: Use plain flour for this recipe. Its purpose here is to stabilise the egg and cream mixture when baked.
Milk and cream: Using mostly milk with a little cream creates a rich, silky batter without making it too heavy.
Eggs: Separating the eggs and folding the whipped whites into the batter creates a slightly lighter clafoutis while still keeping its custard-like centre.
Cinnamon: Adds a warming spice that pairs beautifully with the apples and makes this dessert perfect for winter.
Sweet vermouth: The apples are poached with a little sweet vermouth to add depth of flavour.
How to make apple clafoutis
ONE: Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the apples and sugar, cooking for 1 minute before adding the vermouth, water and cinnamon stick. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover with a lid and set aside.
TWO: Whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar until pale, then whisk in the milk, cream, vanilla and salt. Add the flour and whisk until smooth.
THREE: In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue whisking until soft peaks form.
FOUR: Fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the batter to loosen it, then gently fold in the remaining whites until just combined.
FIVE: Arrange the cooked apples in a preheated, buttered cast iron skillet or buttered pie dish.
SIX: Pour the batter over the apples then bake in the oven at 190ºC (170ºC fan) for about 30 minutes until puffed, lightly golden and just set in the centre. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
SEVEN: Mix the crème fraîche, icing sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
EIGHT: Reduce the poaching liquid into a syrupy. Remove the cinnamon stick then drizzle over the clafoutis when serving with a dollop of vanilla crème fraîche.
Variations & Substitutions
Try a different fruit
This recipe will work just as well with pears, of you could go more traditional with stone fruit like cherries, plums or peaches. You can also use canned fruit instead of fresh, just skip the poaching step and strain the liquid from the canned fruit before adding the pan.
Turn up the spice
If you want a bit more spice in your clafoutis, you can try adding more spices to the poaching liquid. Star anise, cardamom and cloves will enhance the wintery feel even more.
Storing & Reheating Leftovers
Store leftover clafoutis, syrup and the vanilla crème fraîche separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to three days.
Clafoutis is delicious served warm or at room temperature. To reheat, place individual portions in the microwave for 20–30 seconds, or warm the whole clafoutis in a 160°C (140°C fan) oven for 10–15 minutes until heated through.
Warm the syrup gently in a small saucepan or microwave before serving, then finish with a drizzle of syrup and a dollop of the vanilla crème fraîche.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is completely normal. Clafoutis puffs up in the oven before settling slightly as it cools.
Yes. Apple clafoutis can be baked a few hours ahead of serving and kept at room temperature (it doesn’t need to be served hot). It can also be refrigerated for up to 3 days and gently reheated before serving.
Separating the eggs and folding the whipped egg whites into the batter creates a lighter texture while still keeping the soft, custardy centre that clafoutis is known for.
The Recipe
I’d love to hear how you get on with making this recipe if you try it and how much you enjoyed eating it! Leave a review below for me to read, or tag me on Instagram if you share a photo.
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Apple Clafoutis
This apple clafoutis is a wintery take on the classic French dessert, made with apples poached in cinnamon and sweet vermouth, served with vanilla crème fraîche.
- Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
Apple Clafoutis
- 25 grams butter, plus extra for greasing
- 2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 75 grams caster sugar, divided
- 30 millilitres sweet vermouth
- 50 millilitres water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 180 millilitres whole milk
- 60 millilitres cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch fine sea salt
- 45 grams plain flour
Vanilla Crème Fraîche
- 150 grams crème fraîche
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Poach the Apples
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan). If using a cast iron skillet, place in the oven to preheat.
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced apples and 25 grams of the caster sugar, cooking for 1 minute before adding the sweet vermouth, water and cinnamon stick.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and set aside while you prepare the batter.
Make the Batter
- Separate the eggs into two bowls. Whisk the egg yolks with 25 grams of the caster sugar until pale, then whisk in the milk, cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and salt. Add the flour and whisk until smooth.
- In a separate clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the remaining caster sugar and continue whisking until soft peaks form.
- Fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the batter to loosen it, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined.
Bake the Clafoutis
- Remove the preheated skillet from the oven and carefully grease with butter, or simply grease your pie dish with butter.
- Arrange the cooked apples in a single layer in the skillet or pie dish. Pour the batter over the apples and bake for about 30 minutes, or until puffed, lightly golden and just set in the centre.
- Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Meanwhile, return the poaching liquid to the stove and simmer until reduced to a syrup. Remove the cinnamon stick.
Make the Vanilla Crème Fraîche
- Mix the crème fraîche, icing sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Serve the warm clafoutis with a dollop of vanilla crème fraîche and drizzle over the reduced syrup.
Notes
- The batter will puff up. Don’t be surprised if the clafoutis rises dramatically in the oven before settling slightly as it cools. This is completely normal.
- Preheating the cast iron skillet. Preheating the skillet helps the batter begin cooking as soon as it’s poured in, giving the clafoutis a beautifully puffed finish.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 35
- Method: Baking
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