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Golden baked plum clafoutis in a white ceramic dish, purple fruit under a puffed custard top and powdered sugar

Baked Cardamom Plum Clafoutis with Orange Zest and Vanilla

A baked plum clafoutis made with a blender cardamom and orange custard batter, ready in 75 minutes and serving six.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Calories: 440
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fruit and dish
  • 450 g ripe black or Italian prune plums about 6 medium, halved and pitted, larger ones quartered
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter (15 g); softened, for the dish
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar (12 g); for coating the dish
Batter
  • 3 large eggs
  • 80 g granulated sugar
  • 60 g all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 240 ml whole milk
  • 120 ml heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp orange zest from about half an orange
To finish
  • 1 tbsp powdered sugar for dusting

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F with a rack in the middle. Rub the butter over the inside of a 24 cm / 9.5-inch ceramic pie dish (about 5 cm / 2 inches deep), then tip in the 1 tablespoon sugar and tilt the dish until the surface is evenly coated.
  2. Arrange the plums cut side down in a single snug layer in the dish. If they look very juicy, pat them dry with a paper towel first.
  3. Blend the eggs, 80 g sugar, flour, cardamom, salt, milk, cream, vanilla, and orange zest in a blender for 20 seconds, until smooth with no flour streaks. A whisk and a 2-liter / 2-quart bowl works too. Pour the batter slowly around and over the plums.
  4. Bake on the middle rack for 38 to 42 minutes, until the top is puffed and golden at the edges, the center barely jiggles when you nudge the dish, and a knife inserted between center and edge comes out clean. Pull it on time, because past about 45 minutes the custard turns rubbery and weeps.
  5. Cool the clafoutis in the dish on a wire rack for 15 minutes. It will sink and wrinkle, which is normal. Dust with powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve, then cut into 6 wedges and serve warm.

Notes

  • Use a 24 cm / 9.5-inch dish about 5 cm deep so the batter doesn't overflow.
  • Cut plums along the seam and twist the halves apart to pit them cleanly.
  • Stop baking when the center barely jiggles, since the custard keeps setting as it cools.
  • Italian prune plums release less juice than large round plums, which gives a firmer custard.