I don’t know how this recipe escaped me for so long.

Maybe it was the name, clafoutis, which sounds far too complicated for what it actually is. Or maybe it’s because I thought it belonged in a fancy French bakery and not in my small kitchen. I stumbled across it in an old book… and I’m so glad I did.

Blueberry Clafoutis is a dessert that feels like it shouldn’t make sense, but it absolutely does. It’s not quite a cake, not quite a custard, it’s somewhere perfectly in between. Think soft, creamy batter poured over fresh berries and baked until golden, puffed, and just barely set. The berries burst gently into the batter, creating little pockets of color and sweetness. It smells like vanilla and warm sugar and something you’d want to eat by candlelight.

And the best part? It’s one bowl. No mixer. No fancy steps. Just whisk, pour, and bake.

Traditionally, clafoutis is made with cherries in the French countryside, but I had blueberries on hand, and they worked beautifully. I added a touch of lemon zest and vanilla bean paste, and the whole thing came out like a cozy cloud of a tart, with edges that browned just enough and a middle that felt soft and comforting.

It’s the kind of dessert you can bring straight to the table in the same dish you baked it in. Spoon it out still warm, dusted with powdered sugar, maybe with a little whipped cream on the side if you’re feeling generous.

I had mine with tea and a book…it felt like a small ritual I didn’t know I needed.

If you’ve never tried clafoutis before, let this be your invitation. It’s simple, beautiful, and quietly magical. A recipe I’ll be making again and again.

Blueberry Clafoutis (Rustic French Custard Tart)

✧ Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen, thawed and patted dry)
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup heavy cream (or sub with more milk)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• Zest of ½ lemon (optional, for brightness)
• Pinch of salt
• Butter (for greasing dish)
• Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

1. Prepare Your Pan

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Generously butter a ceramic tart dish, pie plate, or 9-inch round baking dish.

2. Make the Batter

• In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until pale and frothy.
• Add flour and whisk until smooth.
• Slowly pour in milk and cream, stirring constantly.
• Add vanilla, lemon zest (if using), and salt.
• The batter should be thin and crepe-like.

3. Assemble

• Scatter blueberries evenly across the bottom of the buttered dish.
• Pour batter gently over the fruit.
• Tap the dish lightly to remove air bubbles.

4. Bake

• Bake for 35–45 minutes until puffed, lightly golden, and just set in the center (a bit jiggly is okay).
• Let cool slightly—it will deflate a bit as it cools (that’s normal).

5. Serve

• Dust with powdered sugar.
• Serve warm or room temp, optionally with whipped cream or crème fraîche.

Optional Twists:

• Use a mix of blueberries + blackberries for a “forest berry” feel
• Add a few edible flowers or herb sprigs (like thyme or lavender) on top for serving
• Swap sugar for honey or maple for a rustic variation

And if you’re wondering how to pronounce clafoutis, you’re not alone. I had to look it up myself.

It’s French, and it’s said like:

[klah-FOO-tee]

Soft and lyrical, just like the dessert itself. The “s” is silent, and the emphasis is on the middle, FOO.

So next time you make it, you can say it out loud like a pro, “Would you like a slice of clafoutis?” … and feel like you’ve brought a bit of the French countryside into your kitchen.