How to make healthy choices every day

Blackberry and Currant Clafoutis



The first time I heard the word, I knew I would love it. Clafoutis. Clah. Foo. Tee.
It felt so good just to say it, like a laughing cloud floating off my tongue, I was certain it would taste even better. I was right.

Clafoutis is a classic French dessert; a custard tart of sorts but without a crust. It is traditionally made with flour, milk, sugar, and eggs, and a fruit, the most popular being black cherries. Arranged in a buttered dish, the fruit is bathed in rich batter and baked, then served lukewarm with a dusting of powdered sugar and sometimes cream. The concept is brilliantly simple and I knew that with a few adjustments, the clafoutis of my dreams could become a reality.

For my first cookbook, I took the plunge and came up with an easy, grain-free and dairy-free foolproof recipe that I can honestly say I make more than any other dessert in my repertoire. I always have the batter ingredients on hand, and I always have seasonal fruit, so when I need something sweet on short notice, this dish often makes a delicious appearance. The only teeny issue with my original version, is that it required a food processor to blend up toasted almond flour. When I set out to make a clafoutis a couple weeks ago, we were living pretty simply at the family cottage in Denmark without any kitchen equipment to speak of, and I was left scratching my head. I knew I could simplify the calfoutis even more, so I endeavoured to make it an equipment-free recipe, and edited a couple of steps so that there wasn’t even a bowl to wash.

Instead of roasting the almonds in the oven, I purchased almond flour, then toasted it in a large skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Then, once the pan had been removed from the heat and cooled a bit, I mixed the remaining ingredients right there in the skillet! The last step was to simply pour the batter into the prepared baking dish with the fruit, and place it in the oven. So easy! The final results were just as good – if not better – than the more complicated version of the recipe.

Since blackberries and red currants were absolutely dripping from the bushes around the island, I knew that these two berries, as untraditional as they were, would be delicious in this context. The sweet batter in contrast against the sour-tart, juicy jewels worked so perfectly.



Some notes on the recipe: the reason that I measure the fruit out by volume may seem unusual, but it’s because the physical space that the fruit takes up in the clafoutis is more important than the weight of it. The goal is to fill the bottom almost entirely with few gaps, so that every bite contains tons of juicy fruit pieces. 

You are welcome to use any fruit that is available to you, with the exception of anything with a very high water content – melon, citrus, and pineapple make the tart too soggy. I love rhubarb in the spring, cherries in the early summer, stone fruits in the late summer, and figs in the autumn. You can also add spices to the batter, such as cinnamon and cardamom, and even dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, apricots, figs or dates.

I have not tried making a clafoutis without eggs. The vegan versions I’ve seen online rely on either tofu or aqufaba for body and binding, and I’m not overly enthusiastic about either one of those ingredients. Plus, I really love eggs. It may be groovy to try with a coconut milk + chia + arrowroot combo, but I cannot reliably say it would work since I’ve never tried it before – this is just a hunch!

 

I’m sure you’ve noticed that look of the blog has changed a little bit. I felt that it was time for a freshen up, and I hope you take a moment to visit my homepage and have a look around. And for this first post since the redesign, I decided to make a small photo essay to convey the gorgeousness of our village on Bornholm. Bornholm is a small, Danish island in the Baltic sea off the southern tip of Sweden. My husband’s family have a cottage there, in an old fish smokery right on the ocean. The light on the island is particularly special, the colour of the sea an unique shade of blue, and the air is soaked with the scent of rose hips, sun-baked rocks, salt water, and elderflower. It’s one of my favourite places on earth, and I always leave feeling so inspired, and connected to nature. I hope you enjoy.

 

 

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51 thoughts on “Blackberry and Currant Clafoutis”

  • My Family Loved it. I am definitely sharing Guys, Thanks For sharing this Great Recipe. this recipe and this website with my friend. Hope they also love it. Thank you again for sharing such a great recipe.

  • Wow so delicious recipe . i’ll surely try this recipe dear thanks for sharing this recipe .
    The photo essay had me speechless. Your pictures are breathtaking, mesmerizing, and absolutely vivid.

  • Sarah….I have enjoyed your blog for many years now….Thank you so much
    Just baked this wonderful Clafoutis last night with blackberries and raspberries, ( we had no sighting of fresh currants here in Santa Fe)
    and it was a hit… I served it with coconut whipped cream….
    Yummm !!!
    Thanks again……looking forward to coming to one of your retreats ….keep us posted.
    Blessings,
    Csara

    • Hi Csara!

      I am so glad you enjoyed the clafoutis! That makes me smile 🙂 Aaaaanndddd SO stoked you’re coming to Bali! Details to come very soon <3 Cannot wait to meet you. Until then, keep cooking.

      Much love,
      Sarah B

  • This cake is true love, I was searching for this recipe from long ago, but couldn’t find the best recipe until now. Thanks for sharing such a recipe, will let you know once I’ll make this cake.

  • Hello Sarah!

    I am eager to make this recipe later for a dinner party. When you say full fat coconut milk, does that mean just using the hardened milk at the top of the can? Or should I try to get a mixture of all of it? I’ll be adding figs to mine, I’ll let you know how it goes! 🙂

    All the love,
    Brittany

  • Toasting nuts (almonds, pecans, etc.) dramatically enhances/transforms the flavor and texture, deepening the oils. Or…kinda like bread vs. toast. Just have to watch that toaster like your life depends upon it! I have burned many a tray of beautiful pecans by letting them go just 30 seconds too long! I toasted the almond flour in the toaster oven using a shallow dish.

  • My son will be delighted with such a cake! He loves berries and homemade cakes!
    your site is the best. As soon as I bake the cake – I will immediately write to you about our impressions of the recipe!

  • I made this for breakfast this morning with apples, cinnamon and cardamom. I’ve never had anything like it, my husband and I cleared the whole dish!

  • Just wondering why you toast the almond flour. Does it enhance the flavor or just change its color? I’ve never seen recipe instructions to do that before. By the way, The New York Times just published its classic autumn Plum Torte recipe, and it is strikingly similar to this dish, except that the fruit is placed on top. I made it with almond flour, and it sank dreadfully, but deliciously, in the center. Hoping for better luck with the clafoutis. Best wishes!

    • Toasting nuts (almonds, pecans, etc.) dramatically enhances and transforms the flavor and texture, deepening the oils. Or…kinda like bread vs. toast.

  • Love your refreshed website & the Clafoutis which I intend to make today. I am dairy & gluten intolerant, will add this to my list of desserts to make which is quite small list. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.

    • That’s great, Jilly! I am so happy that you like the new digs 😉 And I hope enjoy the recipe too – it’s a winner!

      xo, Sarah B

  • Sarah,

    I really like your style of writing and the delicious recipes. Not to mention the breathtaking photography.

    However, when I looked at the pricing of your super-duper retreats, I felt a sort of distaste. I personally could never afford to participate in them. I understand that you have to make a living, but having a good time in a beautiful place with yoga and tasty healthy food doesn’t have to cost such amounts of money. Seeing that makes me feel quite excluded. Of course, you don’t write this website to accompdate my own personal taste, but I’m sure there are many people reading your blog who can only dream of going to, say, Bali.

    Also, about those boxes, excuse the sarcasm, but guess what has the least impact on the environment? Not buying shit you don’t need. And judging by how you describe the contents of those miracle boxes, most of it is stuff that nobody really needs in order to cook a meal. Can’t everyone just open the recipe on their mobile phone/iPad/computer and buy the ingredients from a grocery store and just cook? It makes me think you’re a hypocrite and all you care about is the amount of money in your bank account, not the „beloved” Mother Earth. I don’t buy your Western „eco-friendly” bullshit anymore. It’s way beyond my reach, with a thin wallet like mine.

    Sincerely,
    Zuzanna

    • Dear Zuzanna,

      Thank you for reading the blog!

      I respect that the retreats are too expensive for you and that you are not interested in subscribing to a box of ingredients specifically for cooking My New Roots recipes.

      As far as events go, I have also given 2-hour lectures, one-day seminars, and weekend workshops. Some cost money, some are for free. The retreats and subscription boxes are not free, they’re not even cheap. If anyone in my audience does not want to pay for my work, they are welcome to enjoy the 10+ years of work I have on my blog for free, forever.

      I’m sorry to hear that it makes you feel excluded that there is a high price on my retreats but you are right, I do have to make an income on the many many weeks of work that go into organizing a retreat. Like everybody else, I can’t work exclusively for free – then I wouldn’t have been able to upload free recipes to the blog for over a decade.

      To say that I’m a hypocrite and my work is bullshit is a very harsh comment. The reason why I do what I do is to bring inspiration and healthier recipes to everybody and anybody: a goal that hasn’t changed since the very beginning. I have never place a single ad on My New Roots, just so that people can come to a neutral space to focus, learn, and hopefully be inspired to cook. And because of this, I have to make an income in other ways.

      I hope that you continue to enjoy my recipes on My New Roots – they will always be here and always without cost.

      From my heart to yours,
      Sarah B

    • Dear Sarah,

      You’ve made some good points and I feel like an idiot. I deserved it I guess. Your blog indeed is free of charge and ads while being full or information on nutrition, inspiring and educational. Thank you for having more class than me and not responding with agression to criticism, which mamy people would do. My apologies for undeserved names like ‚hypocrite’ and ‚bullshit’. I turned into a troll without realizing it.

      I respect the fact you published my critical comment and took time to respond to it instead of deleting it and pretending it never happened. Thanks.

      Grateful for the lesson,

      Zuzanna

      • Hi Zuzanna,

        Thanks for writing back – I am so glad that you saw my response, and that you’ve given it some thought. The internet is a challenging place to be, but I think we all need to remember that these faceless people on the other side of the screen are human beings with feelings, and in my case, a human being who is sincerely trying her best to make a positive impact on the world.

        I appreciate your vulnerability, and like I said, I sincerely hope that you’ll continue to visit the blog for more recipes and inspiration for years to come <3

        In light,
        Sarah B

  • Hi Sarah! I am absolutely loving the look of your new design. I’ve been a (quiet) follower for some time now, but I really always admire and am inspired by the work you do. This whole photo essay and the clafoutis (I also love that word) are absolutely stunning. x

    • Hello Ruby!

      Thank you so much for your kind comment <3 I am thrilled you like the new design (and the word clafoutis! hahaa...) Your ongoing support means so much!

      Big love,
      Sarah B

    • Hi there!

      This answer is going to be annoying, but the plates were handmade by my aunt on Bornholm. She’s a very skilled ceramicist but won’t sell her work – she just does it for fun! I’ll let her know she’s got another fan 😉

      All the best,
      Sarah B

  • Hi Sarah I’m about to make this wonderful recipe of yours I hope it comes out something near your delicious one !!
    One curious question … I couldn’t find this recipe in your app, are there different recipes on your website and on your App?
    Loads of love
    Fede

    • Hello Federica,

      Thank you for asking – the latest recipes are not on the MNR app since Apple has upgraded their programming and we can no longer update from our end. I’m terribly sorry for this inconvenience, and I hope you’ll still enjoy using the app without the new recipes.

      All the best,
      Sarah B

  • The photo essay had me speechless. Your pictures are breathtaking, mesmerizing, and absolutely vivid. I love them all! This blackberry and currant clafoutis looks delicious–I love blackberries so much! Best summer-fall berry ever!

  • This looks absolutely delicious! I make one with pears on a sugared deep dish pie plate. The rest is made in the blender. Not much to clean up there, either. It’s so simple and delicious. I look forward to making yours! Yum yum!

  • First of all, I am LOVING this photo essay, dripping with beautiful Danish summer aesthetic, so please feel free to share any future “photo essays” in future post s 😉 I’m pleased you can make this without a food processor – one thing that hung me up as I don’t own one (I know….) so I used regular flour making your clafouti from the 1st book. But I’ll try to look for almond flour in the future.
    ps – thank you for adding a “Recipes” tab up top again! <3

    • Hey Cynthia,

      Thank you so much for your kind comment! I will definitely share more photo essays in the future – it was fun to make 🙂
      And yes, please try the equipment-free version of this recipe! I hope you love it with the almond flour.

      xo, Sarah B

  • I love the changes you made to the website! the setting and surroundings. Bornholm looks amazing and really sets the mood for the food. The additional photographs really put the recipe into context. Lovely!

    • Hello Donna,

      Thanks for your sweet comment. Yes, Bornholm was the perfect backdrop for this recipe, and I hope to share more photos like these in the future. The context is everything! Glad you like the new design too 🙂

      Much love,
      Sarah B

  • Could this be made entirely in an oven-safe skillet, such as cast iron? Toast the almond flour in it, then add the remaining batter ingredients right in the same pan (including the eggs, since the batter is mixed well before being combined with the fruit). Then add the fruit to the batter in the skillet, distributing it evenly. I guess you’d want to tip the toasted flour out in order to grease the pan (maybe you have a stash of toasted almond flour all ready to bake with!).

    • Hello Lynne,

      You could totally try that! I had actually thought of it, but didn’t have an oven-proof skillet at the cottage. My only concern would be that the clafoutis would cook faster in a cast-iron skillet, but you could always give a try and report back. A one-pan dessert would be rad! Thanks for the comment 🙂

      xo, Sarah B

  • Congrats on your new website. This looks and feels so fresh. I hope you and your fam are settling down smoothly in Canada.
    (I enjoy your Instagram, too obviously!)
    What a lovely recipe you shared! Thank you always!

    • Hello Chieko!

      Thank you so much – I am so glad you like the new design! Yes, we are settling in nicely…it feels so good to be home again (and in my kitchen!). I hope you get to try the clafoutis.

      xo, Sarah B

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