Blueberry clafoutis: soft, fragrant and not too sweet
I had 600g of blueberries on hand. Needless to say, there were two options: nibble on them one by one until the bowl was mysteriously empty 😀, or try to make something a little more constructive with them. I chose clafoutis.
I started with my favorite apricot clafoutis recipe, making a few slight modifications: a little less sugar, whole cane sugar instead of white sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and, for those who like it, a tablespoon of dark rum. It might seem like a lot, but the overall effect is very well-balanced, and the blueberries clearly take center stage.
The result is a soft, lightly sweetened clafoutis that's very easy to make. With 600g of fruit, it's particularly generous; if you prefer a more classic balance of batter and fruit, 450g is plenty.
Ingredients
Preparation time: 10 minutes - Cooking time: 45 minutes.
Serves 6 to 8 (dish measuring 23 x 29 cm):
600g of blueberries (450g for a more classic clafoutis)
10 g of butter
4 eggs
80g of sugar (unrefined for me)
1 pinch of salt
80 g of flour
1 vanilla bean
1 organic or untreated lemon
250 ml of milk
1 tablespoon of dark rum (optional)
1 sachet of vanilla sugar
Preparation
Quickly wash the blueberries and then dry them gently. Butter the dish and arrange the fruit inside.
Split the vanilla pod in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a knife. Also, zest the lemon, being careful to grate only the yellow part, as the white pith underneath is bitter.
Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them. Add the sugar and mix, then stir in the sifted flour, vanilla seeds, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Next, pour in the dark rum, if using, then gradually add the milk, continuing to mix until you have a smooth, lump-free batter.
Pour this mixture over the blueberries and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F), fan-assisted, for about 45 minutes. The clafoutis should be set in the center and lightly golden on top.
Let it cool slightly, then sprinkle it with vanilla sugar. You can enjoy it warm or cold, according to your preference.
Why lemon works so well with blueberries
I love adding a little lemon zest with the blueberries. It doesn't really give the clafoutis a lemony flavor, but it adds a touch of freshness that brightens up the fruit. The vanilla softens the overall taste, and if you choose to add rum, it brings a slightly warmer note.
During baking, some blueberries burst while others remain almost whole, resulting in a clafoutis that is both moist and very fruity. And frankly, with good blueberries, you don't need much more.
You can also use frozen blueberries. In this case, add them while still frozen, without thawing them beforehand, and allow a few extra minutes of cooking time if necessary.
Enjoy!
