Like a cross between custard and cake, this flaugnarde recipe is positively brimming with ripe summer fruit. It makes the perfect effortless summer dessert recipe. You can throw it together in about 30 minutes.
Jump to Recipe | What is it? | What's in it? | Tips | Variations | Questions
What is a flaugnarde?
A flaugnarde is a baked dessert from France that consists of fruit held together by a lightly sweet, custardy batter. It's related to clafoutis, which typically includes sweet cherries. By contrast, flaugnardes typically feature pears, peaches, or plums. You'll also find recipes for berry flaugnardes as well as those that contain figs.
The result is a thick, custardy pancake brimming with fresh fruit. It's delicious dusted with powdered sugar for dessert or served with maple syrup for breakfast.
What's in it?
The ingredients for flaugnarde are straightforward. You'll need ripe, and ingredients for the batter which consists primarily of eggs and milk. In addition, you can add various flavorings to the batter as you like it. Vanilla is a common addition, but so are liqueurs such as brandy, noyaux, or Armagnac.
- Fruit can be just about anything you like. Stonefruit, pears, and berries are popular choices. Ideally, look for sweet, ripe fruit, but frozen fruit can work, too.
- Eggs give the batter structure and a custard-like texture. They're also rich in protein, and key micronutrients such as choline which supports memory and cognitive health.
- Milk is the liquid portion of the batter, and it contributes a creamy flavor. Its fat and protein content also supports the structure of the dessert. You can use light coconut milk if you prefer a dairy-free option.
- Flour gives the batter structure and helps absorb some of the liquid released by the fruit as it bakes. We like to use einkorn flour in this recipe. Einkorn is an ancient variety of wheat that's rich in both micronutrients and flavor. You can substitute all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour if you prefer.
- Sugar provides sweetness. Whole, minimally processed sugar will lend the most flavor. If you prefer to use an alternative sweetener, such as honey or maple syrup, you may need to adjust the liquid portions of the recipe.
Recipe Tips
With only a few steps, you can make this easy flaugnarde recipe. To make it, you layer the fruit in a baking dish and then mix the ingredients to form a thin batter. Cover the fruit and then bake. Simple.
- Use ripe fruit that is in its prime. It's tempting to hide over-ripe fruit or fruit that's teetering on the edge of being spoiled in recipes like this one. But flaugnarde is fruit-forward and any flaw can spoil your dessert.
- Your batter should be smooth with no lumps or it may spoil the texture of the dessert.
- Watch the flaugnarde closely. It's ready when the center barely trembles when you move the pan.
- Serve the flaugnarde warm the same day you make it. It's delicious dusted with powdered sugar. You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Variations
Try it with stonefruit. Plums, peaches, and nectarines also make a delicious flaugnarde.
Try it with apples or pears. Both work well with this recipe in place of the berries, and you might add a little cinnamon or cardamom to the batter, too. And swap in some brandy for the vanilla extract.
Try swapping in a little bachelor's jam in place of the vanilla extract. It's an easy fruit-forward liqueur to make at home, and it really brings out the flavor of the berries.
Consider roasting the fruit first to release excess liquid and give the fruit a jammier flavor and consistency.
Recipe Questions
It's pronounced "flow-NYARD."
You can keep a flaugnarde in the fridge for about 3 days, but it's best eaten the day you make it.
No, it doesn't freeze well.
Serve flaugnarde warm or at room temperature dusted with powdered sugar.
Yes. You may need to add a little extra flour to absorb the additional liquid released from frozen fruit.
Katie says
It's been over a year since I made this recipe. I had blackberries over the summer and realized I couldn't remember the name. Everything I typed in search didn't come up with anything. I tried to make it from memory this evening with some fresh peaches and the result was underwhelming (I was trying to do it from memory after all...) I decided to try searching again and I guess Google decided to be benevolent and gave me the correct spellingof flaugnarde (though not this recipe, but it didn't take too much to find this after I had the spelling right. The recipe is now saved in my bookmarks which I've linked to an account so I don't lose them after a device reset again...) When I made this before, I modified it to use 8 hour old sourdough starter in place of the flour and some of the milk. It was great! I'm about to try it with straight rice flour. I think it'll work okay since the flour is such a small proportion of the recipe. If that doesn't work well, I'll try the more expensive GF all purpose flour. I may try it with sprouted wheat or spelt flour sometime (I know, so many possible modifications, but it's a tasty and forgiving recipe if you don't change too much at once!)
Vickie says
Most excellent recipe! I don’t know how much 2 lbs. of berries would be, as I only used 2 pints of fresh blueberries to cover the bottom of my baking pan and that seemed quite enough to me.
I fixed the dish as breakfast for two lady friends and they ate half the recipe, took the other half home for breakfast the next day and then asked for the recipe! I’d say that’s a keeper
Katie says
As the old saying goes, "A pint's a pound the whole world round"!
Suzanne Clark says
I made it with peaches, monk fruit, gluten free flour and coconut milk. It was okay, but my mom and I decided that we’d rather have a peach crumble.
I can see how it might taste good with an alcoholic kick, though I’m not much of a drinker at all.
Thank You for sharing.
Jenny McGruther says
Hi Suzanne, It sounds like you significantly changed almost every ingredient in the recipe. So, I can imagine that a peach crumble would be better.
Kae in WNC says
What size dish gives you the best results? I'm heading to the raspberry patch in the am.
Nichole Pickup says
My son doesn't do well with cow's milk. Would goat's milk be an acceptable substitute or would it taste funky? He doe well with kefir. Would that work?
kathleen says
do you think i can get away with subbing milk for about 1/2 the cream? my gallon of raw milk only has about a quarter cup of cream on top, and the farm where i get it only sells cream by the quart, so i only really but it when we're making ice cream, which is infrequently...
Kathy says
Fabulous recipe, beautifully-written post. I was just drooling as I read this. Can't wait to try it!
Merrie says
I have made this before with berries and it was lovely but today I picked up some luscious black FGS at the farmers market so I am making a fig and blackberry version. We are going to have it with vanilla ice cream.
Jenny says
Now THAT will be amazing. Figs are my favorite fruit.
Missy says
Oh my gosh, these all look SO good!
jenny says
You'll love them. This version is a little liquidy - but we love the softness.