Clafoutis (; or ), sometimes spelled clafouti in Anglophone countries, is a French dish of fruit, unpitted black cherries, arranged in a buttered dish, covered with a thick but pourable batter, then baked to create a crustless tart. The clafoutis is traditionally dusted with powdered sugar and served tepid, sometimes with cream, as a dessert. It can also be served as a breakfast or brunch main or side dish. It originates in the

Limousin Limousin (; ) is a former administrative region of southwest-central France. Named after the old province of Limousin, the administrative region was founded in 1960. It comprised three departments: Corrèze, Creuse, and Haute-Vienne. On 1 Jan ...

region.

Etymology

One proposed derivation of the dish's name is from the

Occitan Occitan may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania territory in parts of France, Italy, Monaco and Spain. * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania administrative region of France. * Occitan language, spoken in parts o ...

''clafotís'', from the verb ''clafir'', meaning "to fill" (implied: "the batter with cherries"). Another is that ''clafir'' comes from the old French ''claufir'', meaning "to fix with nails," explained as the cherries having the appearance of nail heads.

Cyanide

A traditional

clafoutis contains both the flesh of the cherries and the nut-like kernels. Cherry kernels contain

benzaldehyde Benzaldehyde (C6H5CHO) is an organic compound consisting of a benzene ring with a formyl substituent. It is among the simplest aromatic aldehydes and one of the most industrially useful. It is a colorless liquid with a characteristic almond-li ...

, the compound responsible for the dominant flavour in almond extract. They also contain a small amount of

amygdalin Amygdalin (from Ancient Greek: ' 'almond') is a naturally occurring chemical compound found in many plants, most notably in the seeds (kernels, pips or stones) of apricots, bitter almonds, apples, peaches, cherries and plums, and in the roots ...

, a

cyanogenic glycoside In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to another functional group via a glycosidic bond. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. ...

- a compound potentially capable of releasing cyanide if consumed, but non-toxic in small quantities.

Origin

Clafoutis comes from the Limousin region of France.

Variations and similar dishes

While unpitted black cherries are traditional, there are numerous variations using other fruits. This includes pitted red or black cherries, other stonefruit such as peaches or plums, and other fruit like apples or pears, or berries. A flaugnarde is a similar dessert, but made with other fruits such as apples, pears, apricots or plums. Cacou, a specialty of

Paray-le-Monial Paray-le-Monial is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. Since 2004, Paray-le-Monial has been part of the Charolais-Brionnais region. Its inhabitants are called Parodiens and P ...

, is a dessert similar to clafoutis made with unpitted Bigarreaux cherries.

Far Breton Far Breton (also Breton far; ) is a traditional cake or dessert from the Brittany region in France. Its base is similar in composition to a clafoutis batter: a flan-style eggs-and-milk custard with flour added. Prunes A prune is a dried ...

is a dessert similar to clafoutis made with prunes. A flan is a similar dish made with a flourless batter. Savoury clafoutis, made with vegetables and without sugar, can also be made.

Ingredients, preparation and serving

A pourable batter, similar in thickness to a

pancake A pancake, also known as a hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack, is a flat type of batter bread like cake, often thin and round, prepared from a starch-based Batter (cooking), batter that may contain eggs, milk, and butter, and then cooked on a ...

batter, is made from flour, eggs, milk, sugar, and salt and sometimes other ingredients such as almond flour, yogurt, and flavourings like vanilla or

kirsch ''Kirschwasser'' (, , ; German for 'cherry water'), or just ''Kirsch'' (; the term used in Switzerland and France, less so in Germany), is a clear, colourless brandy from Germany, Switzerland, and France, traditionally made from double distill ...

or other fruit brandies. The batter is poured over cherries or other fruit in a shallow baking dish and baked. Some recipes call for pouring the batter into the pan and topping with the fruit before baking. The finished product has a light, custardlike texture. The dish is traditionally served as a dessert, but some less-sweet variations may also be appropriate as a breakfast or brunch dish. It can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled. It may be served sprinkled with powdered sugar and may be served alone or with accompaniments such as cream, whipped cream, or ice cream.

Cultural references

In her autobiographical novel ''The War: A Memoir'', French Resistance member and writer

Marguerite Duras Marguerite Germaine Marie Donnadieu (, 4 April 1914 – 3 March 1996), known as Marguerite Duras (), was a French novelist, playwright, screenwriter, essayist, and experimental filmmaker. Her script for the film ''Hiroshima mon amour'' (1959) ea ...

wrote that she carefully gathered the rationed ingredients to make her husband a clafoutis when he returns from a

concentration camp A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploitati ...

, only to find he is too weak from malnutrition and exposure to eat it.Duras, Marguerite (1986). The War: A Memoir. Trans Barbara Bray. New York: The New Press, 1986, p. 55. Published in French as La Douleur, 1985.

References

{{Reflist Occitan desserts French desserts Custard desserts Cherry dishes Creamy dishes