Thursday, September 2, 2010

Pear Flognarde



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This homely dessert, called a flognarde, is associated with provincial kitchens in the Limousin region of France. A flognarde is a clafoutis made with any fruit other than cherries. This dessert, like the clafoutis, is a cross between a pudding and a cake and it's made by pouring a custard-like batter over a layer of fruit. It's one of those rare desserts that can really be made with a wooden spoon or whisk. A pear flognarde lacks the pocked appearance of the versions made with berries, and because the fruit remains at the bottom the pan, it is characterized by a smooth and richly browned top. If you enjoy pears, you will love this dessert. Be sure to use ripe but firm fruit for the flognarde. Overripe pears will weep into the batter and you'll have unpredictable results. While the recipe utilizes heavy cream, no additional fat is used in its making. You can substitute light cream or half-and-half if you must, but it will change the texture of the dessert. It happens that this is one of my favorite desserts. It is easy to do and when pears are in season it has outstanding flavor. I have a bottle of pear liqueur that's been in my pantry for nearly 40 years. I'm very stingy with it and use it only to enhance the flavor of desserts I love. While I use a splash of it in the flognarde, it's a nice but not necessary addition to the batter. If you start with ripe and flavorful pears you'll do fine without it. Just make sure to put pear liqueur on your Christmas list. Do serve this while it is still warm. Here's the recipe.

Pear Flognarde
...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 ripe but firm Bartlet pears
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
Optional: 1 tablespoon pear liqueur
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 11 x 7 x 2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
2) Peal and core pears. Cut in 1/2-inch dice. Arrange on bottom of baking dish.
3) Place eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Beat until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy. Add vanilla, cream and liqueur to mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour and cinnamon and beat until blended. Pour batter over pears.
4) Bake for 40 minutes or until puffed and firm. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Blueberry Flognarde - One Perfect Bite
Plum Clafoutis - The English Kitchen
Chocolate and Cherry Clafoutis - Cook Sister!
Strawberry Clafoutis - Delishhh
Peach Clafoutis - Sugar and Spice
Apple Walnut Clafoutis - Jungle Frog Cooking
Individual Strawberry Clafoutis - Baking Bites

62 comments :

Carolyn™ said...

I like this idea as it would be good when camping and no beaters available.

Monet said...

This looks delicious! I am going to make this as soon as pears come into season. I will be using heavy cream too...I'm sure it makes the texture heavenly. Thank you for sharing!

Ginny Hartzler said...

Goodness, I have never heard of this name! It does not look bad at all. We are going to an Asian pear orchard this fall where they have tons of different varieties of pears. I plan on putting it on my blog, I know you will enjoy it.

~ Chef Louise said...

Aha! I'm the first to comment... Flognarde - that my friend I have never heard of even with a "French"
culinary degree. I've learned something new, thank you. Mary, the growing pains of being a new blogger make me want to scream HELP! One tip, one ounce of advice of what to add to my site, content, or guest blogging wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

~Chef Louise

Angie's Recipes said...

Flognarde...that's something new to me...it looks so moist and I love its browned topping!

penny aka jeroxie said...

I am also stingy with ingredients that I love and I use it only on special occasions.

From the Kitchen said...

I have a Christmas list for everyone but myself. Now I have something under my name. Would you recommend Poire William?

Best,
Bonnie

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

A bottle of pear licquer that you have had for 40 years.. . you must be disciplined, Mary

Love the name of this dessert ~ Flognarde. I have never heard it before.

Fondly,
Glenda

Lucie said...

This reminds me of my childhood, Mary! Pear flognarde is such a simple dessert, but it really packs some delicious taste. Your version is beautiful :)

MaryMoh said...

A new word and dish to me. Looks simple and very delicious. Would be great to make for parties. I like it. Hope you have a wonderful day.

Miss Meat and Potatoes said...

I do enjoy pears...and I do know I would absolutely flip over this homey yet decadent dessert. Mary - I don't know how you continue to wow us day after day! This looks like something I want to take to bed with me.

cocoa and coconut said...

Never heard of pear liquer before! Must investigate that one. Mary your Flognarde looks extremely enticing!

Deb in Hawaii said...

Looks delicious--loving that topping especially!
;-)

Sanjeeta kk said...

Lovely Flognarde, mary. Like the pears peeping out.

Kim @ Two Good Cookies said...

I don't think pears get enough dessert love. This looks delicious. And relatively easy to boot. My favourite combination!

Sushma Mallya said...

I have heard it for the first time but looks really lovely and yum

Jamie said...

Wow! This is fantastic! I have never heard of this dessert though it sounds like a clafoutis which I just love! It sounds rich and flavorful with the addition of cinnamon and pear liqueur. Mmmm perfect for Autumn!

Allie and Pattie said...

Mary, great minds think alike. I was thinking this morning as I walked that I wanted to use some beautiful pears I have- lovely! Thank you
xoxo Pattie

What's next said...

sounds wonderful!

Kris Ngoei said...

Never tried flognarde, but from the look of it, I am sure it is heavenly....

Sawadee from Bangkok,
Kris

Kim said...

Pears and cinnamon... That looks delicious!

Katerina said...

This sweet looks so juicy and irresistible. Now that Fall arrives, pears are a must and what better way to use them than in a sweet. Thanks for sharing Mary!

Simply Life said...

oh I've never heard of this but now I definitely want to try it!

Martha said...

I've mde Ina's pear clafoutis and it is wonderful but this look slike my kind of dessert as well -- wonderful with the pears that are now coming to market.

Unknown said...

Great information along with a great recipe. I will make sure I only call the cherry one 'clafoutis' from now on!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

This is the first time I have heard of this French dessert Mary...so much to learn..and I do love pears.

Carol said...

Your flognarde looks delicious! I would love a big piece right now for breakfast!

Cathy said...

I never knew what a flognarde was before I read your post today, Mary. Bartlett pears are one of my favorite fruits and I see that they are just now starting to appear at the farmers market. I look forward to trying this new dessert.

Biren said...

This sounds really good and best of all it is easy to make. It must be really tasty too!

Adelina said...

Pear deserts taste heavenly and your old liquer must have brought it to even higher heights! Beutiful, beautiful slice on your plate!

Unknown said...

I love that I come to your blog and see so many things I've never had or even seen before. It inspires me to want to try so many things! This dessert looks so wonderful, I bet it would go great with my coffee right now!!

Self Sagacity said...

This would be a wonderful surprise for my SO. He just loves pears.

Unknown said...

Sounds fantastic. I think I'll try that one, too. I have way too many pears (since the storm over the past few days has emptied my pear tree almost completely) and I'm running out of new recipes...

Rita said...

Sounds and looks wonderful! A mélange of cake,pudding,clafouti and pear; with that it has to be so good.

Susi's Kochen und Backen said...

I love desserts with few ingredients but big effect! This flognarde looks delicious with the pears. A lovely fall dessert!

Jeannie said...

Looks so yummy! Would love to give this a try soon! Thanks for sharing!

Lyndas recipe box said...

This looks amazing Mary- I've bookmarked this to try when the pears are ripe. Can't wait to make it, cream and all. Have a great week end!

June said...

Oh my, that is absolutely beautiful and I can only imagine how tasty it is with beautiful Oregon pears.

Pam said...

You always make the best desserts Mary.

Jennifer said...

That looks and sounds yummy. You should be a cooking teacher, you are so knowledgeable!

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

What a lovely post - I immediately thought "Clafoutis" when I saw your photo, but I learned a new term today. Glad to know clafoutis and flognarde are related.

:)
ButterYum

The Blonde Duck said...

I love custard and I love pears. SOLD.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

Mary, there's nothing better for dessert than a French Clafoutis, but I'm not familiar with the Flognarde. This is definitely going on my list to try.
Enjoy your weekend.
Sam

Julie said...

Love the flavors in this, vanilla, cream, pears, cinnamon. YUM!! One of my co-workers has a pear tree, hopefully she will share so I can make this delicious dessert.

Keeley said...

This looks heavenly... perfect fall dessert! I'd like to put this on the "to try" list and possibly serve it at a fall dinner.

Valérie said...

Yet another dish I had never heard of before: I thought clafoutis was always clafoutis, regardless of the fruit. This sounds like it would be great for this period of the year!

pigpigscorner said...

I've never heard of this but I've heard of clafoutis! Looks and sounds great!

Mrs. L said...

My husband loves anything pears so this will be perfect to make for him.

City Share said...

Thanks for sharing this recipe. It looks delicious. I have never heard of a flognarde before, and I appreciate you expanding my culinary horizons. I'll have to give it a try once pears are in season.

Jen_from_NJ said...

I learn something new every time I visit! Fabulous!

The Words Crafter said...

I love pears and the texture of this seems to be my favorite kind-moist! It reminds me of my grandmother's persimmon pudding-that was actually a cake with a pudding like texture. Filing this away! Thanks for this one!

SH -ic said...

hmmmm echt lecker mercie

Faith said...

What an elegant dessert! I bet the flavor of pear is the real star of the dish!

A SPICY PERSPECTIVE said...

Homely? No...anything that moist looks lovely to me!

Claudia said...

Homely? Oh no,Mary - it sings of fall. It's autumn goodness on a plate. I will be making your quinoa salad this weekend... will keep you posted.

Foodiewife said...

One of the reasons I enjoy visiting your blogs, is that you introduce me to recipes that are very new to me.
I'm familiar with a clafouti, but not this. This looks so comforting and easy to make. I'm saving this for an easy fall dessert. I would be tempted to try apples with this, too.
BTW, this is lovely and definitely not homely. Thanks!

Krista said...

Gorgeous! I can only imagine how warm and wonderful this must taste. I'll have to hunt down some pear liqueur and put it on my Christmas list. Any ideas where I should look?

Anonymous said...

I've made your blueberry flognarde at least four times at this point and I've loved it. Making this with pears seems like a totally different take on the whole thing. I'd love to try it.

My Little Space said...

This looks delightful! Love the use of the fresh pears. It must have tasted fabulous. Thanks for the recipe & have a great day.
Regards, kristy

Lisa Johnson said...

I've never heard of a flognarde before, but this looks heavenly! I'll have to try it.

And thanks so much for dropping by my blog! ; )

Alicia Foodycat said...

I want this! Oh how delicious! I must put cream on the shopping list.

wade family said...

I had some pears I just bought so I tried this recipe. It was delish! The only thing I did differant was add raspberries to it. It was very sweet from the pears so the raspberries tartness contrasted well. Thanks so much for the recipe. My mom will love this. What made me make it was that you said it was one of your favorite desserts. Thanks again
Shauna

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