Recipe: French Chocolate and Pear Clafoutis

The French have such a sensible attitude towards breakfast: Chocolate is perfectly acceptable under the right circumstances. Probably the most famous of these acceptable chocolate-for-breakfast situations is the iconic chocolate croissant.

But there’s yet another way that you can embrace chocolate at the breakfast table, thanks to the French: chocolate clafoutis.

In this clafoutis — a simple French dessert that’s part cake, part custard, and all ease — pear and chocolate are paired together as the ultimate combination for the indecisive. When you just can’t decide between a fruit-based dessert or a dark chocolate treat, this easy-to-make dessert delivers on both.

If you have yet to be introduced to clafoutis, there’s no better time than now. The French dessert is made of a batter similar to crêpes or Dutch babies — it’s egg-rich, with just a touch of flour, and bakes up to be light and custardy.

I first came across the pairing of chocolate and pears in Italy, where it’s more common to see the match flirting with each other. One bite of a simple cake studded with chunks of both dark chocolate and pears, and I was sold. Sweet, juicy pears are the perfect foil for rich chocolate — the fruit balances chocolate’s intensity without lessening its decadence.

While clafoutis is more commonly seen flavored with nothing more than a splash of vanilla extract or a grating of lemon zest, or stuffed with summer fruit like cherries, its simple batter takes well to being winterized, which is why the chocolate and pear combination works so seamlessly here. A few spoonfuls of cocoa powder blended into the batter make for a rich chocolate base that hugs the juicy pear slices as it bakes.

This clafoutis is a tender treat that tastes decadent, but still manages to feel light — even with the generous handful of chocolate chunks sprinkled on top (for good measure, of course). That means while it’s one crowd-pleasing dessert, especially when topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, it also works for breakfast when the day calls for something sweet. Just skip the ice cream in favor of Greek yogurt and remind yourself there’s fruit involved.