Pear Clafoutis

 {Pear Clafoutis}

I was inspired by this recipe I saw on Because I'm Addicted, and I'm so glad I made it because it's simple and easy and the end result looks totally professional and quite fancy if I may say so myself (I mean c'mon, it's French)!  I used pear instead of apricot just because I love pears.  Apparently the traditional french dessert Clafoutis, is made with cherries, but if it's made with another fruit it is called Flaugnarde instead.  However, it seems that most people call it clafoutis no matter what type of fruit they use--including Ina Garten.

The most intriguing thing to me about this recipe is that you literally just pour the mixture in the pan without actually making a crust separately, but when you bake it the crust expands like crazy and forms at the sides and bottom and is the best part of the whole dish!  I LOVE the crust and custard-like filling.

{in the oven}

Pear Clafoutis (recipe found here)

• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 3 large pears, peeled, cored, sliced
• Optional: powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously butter 9-inch-diameter pie pan. Beat eggs, 1/2 cup sugar and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in flour. Add milk, butter, vanilla and lemon peel and whisk until smooth. Arrange pears in bottom of prepared plate. Pour custard over pears. Bake until clafoutis is set in center and golden on top, about 55 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar over and serve.