Muffin Tins Transform Clafoutis Into A Single-Serving Dessert

Hailing from France, clafoutis is a fruit-forward baked recipe that can make appearances at both the breakfast table and dessert buffet. Traditionally made in large dishes and scented with almonds, the chewy treat serves up butter, eggs, flour, sugar, milk, vanilla, and berries baked to golden perfection. With so many tempting flavors and satisfying textures, however, clafoutis can be a difficult dish to step away from, and larger portions make it easy to scoop up second and third servings without pause. Thankfully, there's a way to usher in restraint and serve clafoutis in a smaller, more contained presentation.

Using muffin tins, clafoutis can be made in controlled portion sizes. The separate compartments are ideal for the sweet fruity filling and when baked and cooled, can be distributed with ease among dinner party guests or family members. Topped with powdered sugar or garnished with dollops of homemade honey whipped cream, clafoutis is an elegant dish that is meant to show off the current fruits of the season. 

Whether your palate prefers recipes made with blueberry or cherry, this custardy dessert hits all the right notes when it comes to sweetness. When preparing individual serving sizes of clafoutis that can be easily set onto plates or carried out of the kitchen by hand, you'll need to make a few adjustments to your standard recipes. Fruit must be cut, prepared, and distributed in such a way that each muffin tin is packed with flavor. No piece should be left without bursting bites of sweet fruit. 

While choosing juicy fruits for your clafoutis recipe can be tempting, opting for hardier morsels like whole cherries, chunks of pears, or dried fruits can help you nail the perfect balance of moistness in your baked treats. If you do use ripe, juicy fruits like berries, you can adjust the rest of your recipe to accommodate for the added moisture. Once taken out of the oven, these puffy handheld pieces offer a modern take on a rustic classic, and you may find yourself regularly revisiting this recipe when it comes to your weekly meal-planning routine.