Apple Flognarde… A Light French Clafoutis Dessert

Apple Flognarde is a delicious traditional French specialty hailing from the Limousin and Auvergne region in the southwest of France. A flognarde, similar to a Clafoutis which is made with cherries, is essentially a puffed “soufflé” baked with fresh fruit. Although you can make it with blackberries, peaches, figs, or blueberries, just to name a few, an apple version is perfectly appropriate for the fall, when you can find delicious native apples at your local orchards. The Apple Flognarde resembles a light-as-air pancake and puffs up when baked. It is slightly sweet and boasts a delicious vanilla flavor, similar to a crepe. The flognarde eventually deflates after cooling, leaving a light and crispy golden “custard” surrounding the baked apples. Served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, this is the perfect light dessert to end a heavy meal. 

Apple Flognarde

Ingredients
2 apples (whatever is local and fresh will do!)
1 1/2 cups milk (low-fat is fine)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar + 1 tbsp
1/2 cup flour + 1 tbsp, sifted
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of a lemon

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel and cut the apples into slices.
Butter a 9″ pie dish and place the apple pieces on the bottom of the dish. It’s nice to put them in a neat pattern. (*note: I doubled the recipe for the flognarde in these photos, which I made in an extra large dish!)
Whisk the flour, milk, eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and lemon zest in a bowl (it will look like crepe batter).
Pour the mixture over the apples in the dish.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until the apples are browned on top and the pancake is puffed.
The “pancake” will deflate when left to cool.
Let cool 30 minutes before serving. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Apple Flognarde

 

Author:

Janelle

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Print

 

Ingredients

• 2 apples (whatever is local and fresh will do!)
• 1½ cups milk (low-fat is fine)
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup sugar + 1 tbsp
• ½ cup flour + 1 tbsp, sifted
• 2 Tbs vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• zest of a lemon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Peel and cut the apples in cubes.
3. Butter a 9″ pie dish and place the apple pieces on the bottom of the dish.
4. Whisk the flour, milk, eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and lemon zest in a bowl (it will look like crepe batter).
5. Pour the mixture over the apples in the dish.
6. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the apples are browned on top and the pancake is puffed.
7. The “pancake” will deflate when left to cool.
8. Let cool 30 minutes before serving. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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