When new words enter my vocabulary, usually as foreign language names by way of a menu, I’m usually unsure how to pronounce them. I remember the first time a friend and I went out to lunch when we were teenagers and there was a debate as to how to pronounce foccacia. My friend ordered it and pronounced it correctly but then the waitress corrected her. “It’s fukachiya” she said butchering the word in her broad Aussie accent. My friend was suitably chastised and mumbled “Yes that one please” and the waitress flounced off in the incorrectly superior knowledge that she really knew how to pronounce it. Of course my friend was right after all but not after we had to consult people i.e. our Italian friends to see how it was really pronounced should we ever be condescended to again.
Clafoutis is not as difficult to pronounce as say some of the luxury brands like Hermes (I’ve heard it pronounces”Hermies”) or Versace (frequently mispronounced as “Versaitch”), the impossible Loewe or let’s not forget Jennifer Hawkins and many others calling Chanel “Channel”. I made this for a friend once and she said “I made a Claufoutiss once and it was easy”. She was pronouncing it incorrectly (it is klah-foo-tee) but I didn’t have the heart to tell her that. Or perhaps I should have. I never know whether people want to know. It’s like being told that you have spinach in your teeth. You immediately recall the catalogue of people that saw you that afternoon with a green flecked smile or whoever you mispronounced clafoutis to.
Pronunciation aside, this is a truly easy dessert and takes advantage of the abundance of stone fruit we have had lately. I’ve discovered I’ve got slightly different taste buds from Mr NQN. Fruit to me is never sweet enough and so stone fruits are ok but the only ones I really love are cherries and sugar plums. Plums are just that much too tart for me. The way to solve this is of course to bake it in a clafoutis and you can add the sugar and a creamy custard to counteract the tartness.
The method is over within 10 minutes and leaving it in the oven for 50-55 minutes means that you could easily serve it for guests. It is best newly out of the oven as it sinks when it cools and gets quite dense otherwise. I always serve it with ice cream but then again I have warned you that I am a sweet tooth. If you hadn’t gathered that already 
So tell me Dear Reader, do you tell people if they have spinach in their teeth?
Plum & Nectarine Clafoutis
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Serves 8-10
- 10 plums or nectarines (or any stone fruit including apricots and cherries)
- 200grams caster/superfine sugar
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
- 5 large eggs
- butter to grease
- 1/4 cup flaked almonds (optional)
- icing sugar to dust
1. Preheat oven to 190C/375F. Grease the base of the baking dish with butter and sprinkle one tablespoon of the sugar on the base of the baking dish. Cut the fruit in half and remove the stone and place cut side down on the bottom of the dish.
2. In a blender, whiz the rest of the sugar, milk, cream, flour, vanilla and eggs for 2 minutes until all lumps have disappeared. Pour over the fruit which will then pop up to the top. Sprinkle almonds over the top and then bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes until golden and risen.
3. Remove from oven and dust 1 tablespoon of icing sugar on top and serve with ice cream.
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71 Comments | Add your own
I tell people, but wrestle with how to bring it up!! I always figure I’d want to know!
Mike would just love this clafoutis . . . he thought he didn’t like plums until I made it clear with some cookery that he did
Heavenly! I can’t wait for the summertime!
Cheers,
Rosa
The plums are the feature in this recipe with the sweet surrounds being the added bonus. I love cooking things that feature seasonal produce.
Beautifully done! Ahhh mispronunciations – so funny in hindsight and so embarrassing at the time! I had never heard the word somelier pronounced, so the first time I ordered a quite expensive bottle of wine at dinner, I thought the waitress said that “Someone here” will get that bottle for you. I thought that was the rudest thing ever! Then I realized it was somelier….
Oh this made me laugh! My brother and I used to pronounse it “fukachiya” to each other as a joke, and once I said it in a restaurant by accident and was mortified!
Clafoutis is a regular in my family, as we keep finding new recipes to try. Sadly yours wouldn’t be one for us, as we tend towards those that can be adapted to gluten-and-dairy free. I think one of the nicest we tried had almond meal in it… which maybe isn’t traditional…
Ooh, I think I need to make this on the weekend. I do tell people when they have something in their teeth and hope they would tell me!
Yes, yes I do tell people
mm dessert. Think it’s too early?
I made my very first clafoutis (mixed berry)just last Friday and it was a resounding success. I used a recipe from the book ‘River Cottage Everyday’ and was astounded at both it’s ease and just how delicious it was both hot & cold.
Not being one for sweets of desserts, I have now been converted (at least when clafoutis is on offer)!
Yours sounds delicious too Lorraine…will definately give this one a shot too!
Clafoutis. I’m sitting on the train saying it over and over trying to figure out if I have pronounced it correctly. I love sweet fruit too. When we have sugar plums they dissapear within the day. I like this dessert. I’ll bake it to impress after I find out how to pronounce it eheheh.
Mmmm, I love clafoutis, though I’ve only ever made cherry.
This sounds splendid!
Hahaha this post reminds me of how I always pronounced Yosemite as yoze-might until I actually made it there… Embarassing. I would always tell someone they had spinach unless I didn’t like them
This clafoutis is delicious looking and it is a favourite word of mine, it sounds wonderful.
oooh I definitely am someone that will tell you if you have something in your teeth! I figure a second of embarassment is much better than hours of not knowing!
I don’t but my husband is a real fiend and tells everyone!! lol. He’s so annoying because he even tells you if you are still eating.
This definitely is a must-do recipe.
Wow Lorraine, your Clafoutis looks amaaaaaaaaaaazing and I’ve just finished breakfast. Do you tire of your readers always saying,”another to add to my list”.
I’m always correcting people who mispronounce or misspell, can’t help myself. Bruschetta is a classic example and I often get resistance after correcting them ,even when I tell them that I am Italian???
I hear you about pronunciation.But well, let’s all be forgiving since this clafoutis is excellent!
No spinach in my teeth but my mum pronounces clafoutis the same way as your friend – i have forwarded her this email!
However you pronounce it, this looks delicious.
You probably got your sweet tooth from me because I definitely have one too. I’m going to keep this in mind when summer plums are at the market. xoxo Mum
Lovely cla-foo-tee! Very summery, perfect for spring.
I’m the sort of person who would definitely point out spinach in teeth… coz the green would distract me too much and I would stare (despite my best efforts not to!).
If someone got their fougasse mixed up with foccacia I would tell them!
Brilliant dessert, Lorraine.. love the plum nectarine combo.. I am used to single fruit varieties.. yours is just gorgeous… I can’t wait till my fruits are back in the market!
Mmmmmmmmm looks fabulous!!
Yes. And lipstick on their teeth. And I have been known to tuck in the neck labels of perfect strangers – much to the horror of my kids!
This looks like a super way to use the abundance of stone fruit, which doens’t take forever – my kind of recipe.
If I know someone well, I will tell them about spinach in their teeth, food on their chin etc because I’d want to know, and I find it distracting. If I don’t know them, I won’t in case they get offended.
i can’t tell you how many dishes i don’t order simply because i’m unsure of their pronunciation. it’s a real problem.
on a brighter note, this looks delectable–i love stone fruits!
Looks wonderful Lorraine!
As for the spinach, I’d tell them straight away as I think it just saves them from embarassing looks. I had to tell a mate once that his fly was undone.. LOL
wow! that looks really pretty and yummy! I tried pronouncing it, but think i sounded weird! haha love plums and especially so when it’s used in desserts. Cant wait to try this! Thanks for the recipe!
Lorraine, once again you’ve read my mind! I’ve been longing for fresh plums…sadly, they still won’t be in season here for quite a while…but I’m bookmarking this lovely recipe for later!
My best friend and I always subtly smile at each other at the end of a meal and quietly nod or shake our heads. Depending on the nod or shake, we go to the bathroom to remove whatever is there ha ha.
Lorraine, In one word,
BRILLIANT!
Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
I learn how to pronounce “clafoutis” from a waiter at Becasse
Great pictures and writing as always.
Haha, I laughed when you mentioned people mispronouncing food names.
My best friend ALWAYS does it. Whether it is lup cheong, laksa, or croissant.
Although I correct her, she will carry on mispronouncing them as that is the way she remembers them.
Great dish!
awwwww – I love clafoutis, reminds me of home!! And yours looks so yummy… Honey, you should just come to Paris and start your own stylish patisserie store-cum-cafe there!
Hehe, I remember my first attempt at saying ‘nicoise’ – what a maroon! I was so young and foolish then…
Love your clafooty; I will miss the stone fruit season
LOVE clafoutis and the plums are so cheap and luscious right now…good job!
It doesn’t matter the name Clafoutis, I know that they’re outstanding and elegant
Cheers,
Gera
hahaha how im paranoid about how to pronounce foccacia!
this looks so yummy!
Lovely clafoutis! And I love how the richness of plums balance the tang of nectarines.
I love clafoutis and with plums at this time of year it’s great. I add a smidge of cinnamon to my batter – I think cinnamon makes everything taste that little bit better. It’s such an Autumny (hmmm – new word!) taste. And yes – I tell people about the spinach. My theory is I’d want to know
another mouthwatering dessert to add to my recipe collection and “must try now” on the weeks cooking agenda.
I usually do this when I’m in that position I use the “red herring technique”
I turn to them discreetly and ask-”do I have something in between my teeth?” Everytime, I get the same question back, and they don’t think twice about it.
OH, one name that always brings on a debate is MOET, Everyone calls it MO-E ,i went to Chandon and they pronounce it Mo’ette.
Every bottle shop i go into to ask for it gives me this,”what?that’s not how you say it look”,then,pronounce it in a professor of linguistic manner of way”MO-EE.”
-what happened to “the customer’s always right?,lol
I tell close friends and family when they have food stuck in their teeth, but how do you tell a longtime friend who’s only recently taken up wearing make-up in her early thirties that her face is streaky…?
Clafoutis is the thing that I have never had and never baked before… actually it looks not so difficult but never think of it… I don’t even know it is pronouced “klah-foo-tee” Thanks very much
I usually say, “hey, do I have any spinach in my teeth?” and when they say, “No, do I?”, I say, “yep”.
Your clafoutis looks wonderful, but I think the almonds shouldn’t be optional, because they make it look sensational!!
Oh heaven! I’m waiting for the cool weather to arrive so I can get back to lovely warming puddingy-type desserts. I’ve tried a couple of different clafoutis (hmm… plural?)recipes with mixed results – a peach one from Jamie Oliver was spectacular!
Spinach in teeth? Depends if I like ‘em or not
Oh god I just remembered another one – I used to say “Kee-cap manis” and thought it was so funny when I heard some pronounce it correctly, until I discovered how wrong I was
I will always tell people I know about their spinach issues, but total strangers is a case by case basis depending on the degree of interaction, I guess.
Lovely clafoutis by the way
Just got back from the supermarket now with all I need to whip this up tonight. My friend is coming round for a cheer up since the storm we had here in Perth the other day leaked into her wardrobe and ravaged her Louboutin collection fingers crossed it makes her smile
I have an ongoing argument with my husband on how to pronounce “pho” (as in the Vietnamese soup). Then a colleague of his at work whose wife is Vietnamese unknowingly proved me right.. Smug? Oh yeah baby – and doesn’t he know it!
This recipe looks yummy – but I’m finding it hard to do much more to the plums at the moment than just munch them. Delicious!
I’ve butchered so many words too, some I can remember are: foie gras, nicoise and gratin
btw, yummy clafoutis, I never tried this before, can I make it with mangoes, do you think it will work? It’s summer and we have plenty of mangoes, I want to make something new with it
What a lovely dessert! Much too sweet for my tastebuds though, I must admit I like slightly more acidic and bitter foods (hence the addiction to coffee, hehe)! I would definitely tell if the situation was appropriate and wouldn’t embarass anyone but sitting behind a gentleman at a seminar, I had to sit on my hands to avoid plucking out a stray white hair that was so obvious to me I couldn’t do anything but stare at it!
Beautiful clafoutis Lorraine
I’d tell someone if they had spinach on their teeth because I’d sincerely hope they’d do the same for me!
We once had a waiter pretend he couldn’t hear our (mispronounced) order of Hoegaarden, then he went “oh, you mean Houueeewwgaaaarden” very exaggeratedly before flouncing away. Destined for the stage that one
Absolutely love nectarines! Especially the white ones though the ones in our house always end up sitting there in the fruit basket. Looks like a good way to use them up!
oo yum *drool* (just got home from work – hungry, maybe food pictures are not the best idea!
I have pronounced schooner as shooner… in my defence people say schedule without the ‘k’ plus 3 years of German probably didn’t help either….
By the way thanks for the comment! I was awe for 2 minutes when I saw it! Only my friends (lack of) have seen my blog tehehe.
I prefer clafoutis made with yeast they get a bready cakiness that’s absolutely delicious.
ww
ps
I don’t like too much sweetness either – using frozen berries and less sugar than usual makes it almost savoury, well, not very sweet anyway.
I adore clafoutis and this one with plums and nectarines looks divine! I’d like some please! We have several more months to wait before we see these favorite fruits again!
Um, it depends on who it is!
I loveee Clafoutis! And I just had a minor plum crave so this suits me just fine.
The whole thing about pronunciation gets to me. I’m not much of an English expert but some words like “determine” just shouldnt be pronounced wrongly.
It varies as to how well I know them, I figure most of my friends would want to know, but some definitely would not. On the whole I would prefer to be told, it shortens the time one’s embarrassing oneself!
The clafoutis looks just gorgeous, I love it very much although I tend to lower the sugar content a bit
Beautiful klah-foo-tee. I might just try it! It really depends how close I am to the person with the spinach wedged between his/her teeth.
I love clafoutis. Never thought to use nectarines with the plums though! I love the idea. And I like ice cream on mine too!
Yes to the spinach. I would never feel embarrassed if someone told me. (My mother told me years ago never to serve spinach to company!)
This is a scrumptious dessert simple to prepare,tasty and a good excuse to use your fruits… the results always outstanding .
Plums and Peaches are my best stone fruits specially in baking.
I would so butcher this with my thick Texas drawl…
Yes, I would tell someone if they had spinach in their teeth because I wouldn’t want them to get embarrassed. I don’t feel that people would get embarrassed by me telling them cause i’m just plain silly anyways.
Gorgeous calfoutis!!
My new blog went up today and I am so excited. Stop by and check out my brand new and improved site daaaahling. I want to know what you think. I’m also doing a fab give away.
*kisses* HH
This looks really pretty, I need to get round to making a clafoutis, I love the way the word sounds!
Hi just wondering if the calfoutis will turn out the same if I whisk the ingredients together instead of using a blender?
Hi Julie-yes me too! I’m exactly the same
Haha you definitely showed him!
Hi Rosa-thankyou!
Hi Mark-Thankyou so much!
Hi Rose -Thanks!
I know, I’m sure I’ve mispronounced so many things 
Hehe what a cute story! 
Hi Hannah-haha I do that sometimes too! It becomes a habit and it’s so catchy!
Ahhh of course, well I think you could use soy but I’m not sure about
flour- almond meal would be nice and rich!
Hi Amy-hehe I always appreciate it although I also know that it can be hard to tell people!
HI Fiona-hehe it’s never too early!
Hi Highlands Foodie-Ahh that would be a great recipe I would imagine! Yes it’s so easy isn’t it! Thankyou!
Hi Katherine-Hehe I’m sure you’re saying it correctly! Mmn yes sugar plums are fantastic aren’t they!
Hi Krista-Cherry is a gorgeous classic. I wish I had cherries that lasted in this house-I tend to gobble them all!
Hi Alex-Oh I did that too! It does sound like Yoze Mite (and I blame Vegemite and Promite
). Thankyou! 
Hi Lisa-Aren’t you a good friend!
Hi Matilda-Hehe I think as long as he’s discreet, they’ll appreciate it. haha that’s so funny! Thankyou! No not at all!
hehe yes you should get the final
word on Bruschetta-I mean an Italian person would certainly know!
Hi Anh-Hehe thanks!
Hi Janey-hehe I hope she doesn’t get offended!
HI Mary-thanks so much Mary!
Hi Barbara-Haha that’s very likely mum!
Awesome, I bet you do a gorgeous one! xxx
Hi Su-yin-Thankyou Su-yin!
Hehe that is very true, it’s very distracting!
Hi Granville-Haha!
Hi deana-Thanks very much!
Yes we’re just seeing the end of it so it would be a few months away while we get winter fruit 
Hi Lulu-Thankyou!
Hi Amanda-Thanks! Oh yes lipstick on the teeth as you can never tell! Hehe you are funny!
Hi Cakelaw-Thankyou! Yes it’s so simple!
Yes I’m worried if I don’t know them and often don’t say anything (I just hope that they’ll see a mirror or
something
)
Hi grace-Oh Grace you are so funny!
Hi Phuoc-Thankyou very much
You are such a good friend!
Hi Lianne-Thankyou!
Hehe I suppose it does the first time! 
You’re welcome!
Hi Faith-Thanks so much Faith! I think we read each other’s minds! :Lol:
Hi Danielle-Ahh code-I like it!
Hi Devaki-Aww thanks Devaki!
Hi foodwink-haha that’s a good source!
Thankyou!
Hi brisbanebaker-Hehe now tha’ts supreme confidence isn’t it!
Hi Myriam-Thankyou!
hehe You are so sweet 
I like the idea of going to Paris but to eat! 
Hi Belle-Hehe Belle you’re hilarious!
Me too!
Hi Tenina-Thanks! I agree, they’re everywhere now!
Hi Gera-Thankyou Gera!
Hi emma-Hehe don’t be! I bet it’s pronounced all different ways! thankyou!
Hi Midge-Thankyou so much!
Hi Sian-Ahh great idea adding cinnamon!
Yes I know I’d want to 
Hi sia-Fantastic!
Aha I like that-very clever! Yes this si true, I must admit I mispronoucned it for years after hearing others mispronounce it! I think
it is mo-ette!
hI mlle délicieuse-Oh dear that’s a really tricky one isn’t it!
Hi Ja-You’re welcome! Yes it’s one of those things that has taken me ages to make!
Hi Celia-hehe yes that’s a good way to do it! Hehe thankyoU!
Hi Red Dirt Mummy-Ooh a peach one would be gorgeous!
Haha too funny!
Hi Conor-Yes I can see that as it looks like that!
Yes it’s hard to tell strangers! thankyou!
Hi Liv-OH fabulous! I hope that it cheers her up! Oh no, a ruined Louboutin collection? Qu’elle horreur! :O
Hi Claire-Oh yes that one can be hard! Haha you are too funny!
I bet there was a bit of a high five inside!
Hi Olive-yes I find mille feuille hard!
Hmm you never know, a mango pudding works I guess! 
I think with lots of vanilla ice cream would be lovely!
Hi Moya-Ahhh you see I don’t like bitter foods at all. Hehe don’t tell me you plucked it?
Hi shaz-Thankyou!
Yes I’m always appreciative of knowing too 
Oh dear, all you can do in that case is roll the eyes! 
Hi angie-Aren’t they great! yes white ones are so sweet!
Hi aimee-hehe thankyou!
Ahh yes I can see why you did that! 
No problems at all!
Hi Woof -I don’t think I’ve tried one with yeast, I don’t think that’s the traditional kind of recipe.
Hi Jamie-Thankyou so much Jamie!
Hehe!
Hi Sweets By Vicky-hehe cool!
wow you hear people mispronounce that? 
Hi wenchie-I definitely want (and expect) friends to tell me!
Hi The Little Teochew-thankyou Ju!
Hehe do you mean sitting close to?
HI Barbara-Thankyou! Yes ice cream is a must!
yes this is true!
Hi Arlette-Thanks so much Arlette!
So true!
Hi Blond Duck-haha!
Hi Heavenly Housewife-Hehe you are funny darling! Thankyou, it looks wonderful, I love it!
xxx
Hi Sarah-Thanks so much!
It rolls off the tongue well doesn’t it!
Hi MissGlutton-I think it should! Just whisk it well
nicely done! Love the look of buried plums! I’m a sweet tooth too, so yes, I’ll have my slice with custard and ice cream *waiting for mine*
Hello Lorraine!!
Brussels calling! Your clafoutis looks stunning & truly appetizing too!
This is a taste of real summer!
I just adore clafoutis! Made one last night in pear, cranberry and rasberry (delicious). I love that is so ridiculously easy to make and always comes out perfect. The only reason I don’t make it more is that it’s so light and impossible to stop at one piece and before I know it the whole thing is gone!
Miss B xx
wow, this looks amazing. bookmarked.
ooh that is funny that you say you never find fruit sweet enough – I love the sweetness of fruit but esp stone fruit – I just always feel a bit sad they are in season at a time when it is too hot for baking – but I have a taste for plums this year which wait til it is bit cooler – so maybe try this over autumn
Ooh I recently had the privelege of tasting clafoutis, and boy, was it delicious!! Yours looks amazing!
And I would much rather know about any mistake I’m making, so I usually tell people, unless I don’t know them too well!
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