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Pear flognarde is a French baked dessert that’s part custard, part cake. You pour an eggy batter over sliced pears and bake it until puffed and golden on top.
I first had this in a farmhouse kitchen in the Dordogne, made with pears pulled straight off a tree by the window. Nothing fussy about it. Just eggs, milk, flour, sugar, and fruit.
Flognarde is basically clafoutis’s cousin. Clafoutis is traditionally cherries, pits and all. Flognarde is the name for the same batter-and-fruit technique used with pears, apples, or plums.
This version bakes at 180 C / 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes. The center should still have a slight jiggle when you pull it out. It firms up as it cools, and it will sink in the middle a little. That’s normal, not a mistake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One bowl and one dish, no mixer needed
- Uses simple pantry staples plus fresh pears
- Custardy center with a slightly crisp, golden top
- Works warm from the oven or chilled the next day
Ingredient Notes
- pears: Use ripe but firm pears like Bosc or Anjou so slices hold their shape. Overripe pears turn mushy in the oven.
- eggs: Large eggs give the batter its custardy structure. Bring them to room temperature so the batter blends smoothly.
- whole milk: Whole milk keeps the custard rich. Low-fat milk works but the texture turns slightly thinner and less silky.
- all-purpose flour: Just enough flour to hold the custard together without making it cakey. Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if needed.
- vanilla extract: Adds warmth to the batter. A splash of rum or a scrape of vanilla bean pod works too.
- butter: Used to grease the dish so the flognarde releases cleanly and the edges turn golden.
Baked Pear Flognarde: Soft, Custardy, and Simple to Make
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Butter a 23 cm / 9-inch baking dish or pie dish with the 1 tbsp butter.
- Peel, core, and slice the pears into 5 mm thick pieces. Arrange them in a single layer in the prepared dish, overlapping slightly.
- Whisk the eggs and 60 g sugar together in a mixing bowl until pale and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the flour and salt until no lumps remain. Add the milk and vanilla extract, whisking until the batter is smooth and pourable, or blitz everything in a blender for 10 seconds.
- Pour the batter over the pears, letting it settle into the gaps between slices.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 tbsp sugar evenly over the top.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until puffed and golden brown, with a slight jiggle left in the center when you nudge the dish.
- Cool in the dish on a rack for at least 10 minutes. It will sink in the middle as it cools, which is normal.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Slice pears to an even 5 mm thickness for consistent cooking.
- Pull the dish out when the center still jiggles slightly, not when fully firm.
- Sinking in the middle after baking is expected, not a failed bake.
- Cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing so the custard sets properly.
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving, not before baking.
Tips for Success
- Slice pears evenly at 5 mm thick so they cook through at the same rate as the batter sets.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar until pale before adding flour to avoid a gritty texture.
- Use a blender for 10 seconds if you want a completely smooth, lump-free batter.
- Check doneness at 35 minutes; pull it out when the center jiggles slightly but isn’t liquid.
- Let the flognarde cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing so it firms up enough to hold its shape.
Variations
- Add 1/2 tsp cinnamon or ground cardamom to the batter for a warmer, spiced flavor.
- Soak pear slices in 2 tbsp dark rum for 15 minutes before arranging them in the dish.
- Swap pears for thinly sliced apples or quince when pears aren’t in season.
Storage and Reheating
Pear flognarde keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, covered tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. It’s good cold or at room temperature straight from the fridge.
To warm it, reheat individual slices in a 150 C / 300 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes until just warmed through. Skip the microwave since it makes the custard rubbery.
Freezing isn’t a good option here. The custard texture turns watery once thawed, so this one is best made within a few days of serving.
Serving Suggestions
Dust the top with powdered sugar right before serving so it doesn’t melt into the custard. A spoonful of crème fraîche or lightly whipped cream on the side balances the sweetness.
Serve it warm with coffee for breakfast, or cold as an afternoon dessert. It’s simple enough to fit either.
A small glass of dessert wine or a pear brandy on the side echoes the fruit without overpowering the custard.
FAQ
Why did my pear flognarde sink in the middle after baking?
That’s normal, not a mistake. The batter puffs up in the hot oven from steam and egg proteins, then deflates as it cools because there’s no leavening agent holding the structure. As long as the center was set with just a slight jiggle when you pulled it out, the texture underneath will still be custardy and correct.
Can I use apples instead of pears in this flognarde?
Yes, thinly sliced apples work well as a swap for pears in this recipe. Use a firmer variety like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, sliced to the same 5 mm thickness, so they cook through in the same 35 to 40 minute bake time without turning mushy.
Can I make pear flognarde ahead of time and store it in the fridge?
Yes, pear flognarde stores well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. It actually tastes good cold, so you can bake it a day ahead and serve it straight from the fridge without reheating at all.
What goes well with pear flognarde?
Crème fraîche or lightly whipped cream on the side balances the custard’s sweetness. A dusting of powdered sugar right before serving and a cup of coffee make it work for breakfast, while a small glass of pear brandy suits it as an after-dinner dessert.
Is pear flognarde gluten free?
Not as written, since it uses 60 g of all-purpose flour to give the custard structure. Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and the batter sets the same way, so it’s an easy substitution if you need it gluten free.
What’s the difference between flognarde and clafoutis?
Clafoutis is traditionally made with whole cherries, pits included, baked in the same eggy batter. Flognarde is the name used in France for the identical technique made with other fruit, usually pears, apples, or plums, since clafoutis is technically reserved for cherries only.
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