Pear Clafoutis

Method

1. 1Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Use about half the butter to generously grease a ceramic or cast-iron baking dish — something roughly 26–28 cm across.
2. 2Peel the pears, halve them, scoop out the cores with a spoon, and cut into thin slices, about 5 mm thick. Arrange them in a single, slightly overlapping layer across the bottom of the buttered dish.
3. 3Make the batter. Whisk flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the flour and whisk until you have a thin, lump-free batter — about the consistency of single cream.
4. 4Pour the batter slowly and evenly over the pears. Dot the remaining butter in small pieces over the surface.
5. 5Bake for 40–50 minutes until the top is deep golden brown, the edges are set and slightly puffed, and the center barely trembles when you shake the dish. A skewer inserted into the center should come out clean.
6. 6Let the clafoutis cool in the dish for at least 15 minutes — it will deflate as it cools, which is normal. Dust generously with icing sugar through a fine sieve and serve warm.