Red Currant and Plum Clafoutis

So the month of July was pretty slow around these parts, and now I'm trying to play catch-up and get the most out of whatever summer fruits are still around. :o)

Unfortunately, I've been in and out of the dentist's office this entire month (which sucks), but there was a silver lining: the quaint farmers' market full of enticing fresh vegetables and summer fruits right across from the building. The gorgeous boxes of bright red currants caught my attention the most...the only problem was that I had absolutely no idea what to do with them!

aren't they pretty?

Well, yesterday I finally decided to buy a carton, despite not having a plan. I just hoped to figure something out once I got home.
Luckily, I also ended up finding some really cute red plums...and they sparked the idea of making a clafoutis. I like plum clafoutis in the fall, so I thought: why not throw in a few currants for good measure?
Okay, so it wasn't the most creative idea...but it was a start, lol.

Clafoutis (klah foo tee) is an old-fashioned french dessert that rests somewhere in between a custard and a pancake. Traditionally it's made with cherries, but you can use almost any fresh fruit you have available. Clafoutis is light in texture, gently sweetened, and perfectly unpretentious. I like to think of it as a "no excuse" dessert, as there's no reason not to make it... it's super easy! So easy, in fact, a child can put it together (and I'm not kidding, I had two adorable little helpers in the kitchen yesterday and they practically made the dessert themselves, lol).


For a gluten-free twist, I decided to use rice flour instead of standard all-purpose wheat flour.

Sweet ripe plums and tart red currants...a very summery combo. Grab those red currants while they're still in season!


Red Currant and Plum Clafoutis
makes 6 servings

1 cup red currants
1 cup halved or sliced ripe plums
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar (+ extra for the dish)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup rice flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (8 oz) milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch

softened butter for the dish
confectioner's sugar (for dusting)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

If your plums are small like these, halving them is fine. If they're larger, slices might be a better idea. Most importantly, they've got to be ripe! These were so ripe the pits practically fell out as soon as I sliced them open, lol...

Prepare a 9"or 10" diameter skillet or deep pie plate: Spread a generous amount of softened butter around the the dish. Pour in a few tablespoons of sugar and rotate the dish until coated with sugar. Tap out the excess.

Arrange the plum slices around the bottom of the dish, then scatter roughly half of the currants over them. Set aside.



Making the Batter:
Whip the eggs, sugar and salt on high until pale and frothy. Add the vanilla extract.
Gently whisk in the flour, then the melted butter.

In a separate bowl, stir the cornstarch and milk together until smooth, then mix into the rest of the batter.

Gently pour the batter over the fruit. Top with the remaining currants.



Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and puffy.


Cool slightly and dust with confectioner's sugar.

Enjoy!!