I’ve been on a quest recently to help you guys make the holidays a little less sugar-heavy. When I asked on social media about challenges you face over the holidays when it comes to food, one of the main concerns I received a lot of questions about was how to keep sugar intake in control. I have a post coming soon about how to navigate the holidays when you want to keep dietary health in mind -- but until then, let’s take a look at this clafoutis.
If you are wondering what the heck a clafloutis is, that’s totally normal. I hadn’t heard of it until I made this one. It’s traditionally a French dessert, but since it has fruit and an eggy base, Kir Jensen of The Sugar Cube recommends it as a breakfast dish. In an effort to make her recipe more appropriate for dietary therapies, I substituted my own favorite ingredients to modify it for allergens and in an effort to decrease the amount of added sugars.
It may look at first glance like there's a lot of syrup in it, but keep in mind that most people have about 2 Tablespoons (2 Tbsp) of syrup per serving of pancakes, waffles, or the like. So when you split this clafoutis six or more ways, each serving has less than 2 Tbsp of sugar in it each -- mission accomplished! Also, most of that sugar is either organic or the majority of it comes from the syrup. This means you are still getting the sugar calories, however you are likely also experiencing less inflammation and getting some extra nutrients in when it comes to the syrup. Buying organic brown sugar ensures that it is coming from sources that aren't using harmful chemicals on the crop.
Read on to download or print the recipe for this Blueberry Breakfast Clafoutis. Can't wait to hear what you think!
Want to print this recipe? Click Here 👇🏼😍
Blueberry Breakfast Clafoutis
Ingredients
Adapted from original by The Sugar Cube
Dry Ingredients
⅔ cup Gluten-Free (GF) flour
¼ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
2 Tbsp plant-based buttery spread, melted
⅔ cup + 2 Tbsp maple syrup
3 large eggs + 3 egg yolks
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut cream, refrigerated overnight
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ Tbsp Lemon juice
Other
¼ cup chopped pecans
1 ½ cup blueberries (can be from frozen)
2 Tbsp Superfruit Syrup
Crumble Topping
½ cup GF flour
3 Tbsp Organic Brown Sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp salt
3 Tbsp plant-based buttery spread (or more), added a ½ Tbsp at a time until “crumble” consistency starts to form (see picture below for reference)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 1 ½ quart-size container with parchment paper, or grease it well with the plant-based buttery spread.
Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.
In another medium-large size bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer (i.e. KitchenAid) with a whisk attachment to mix dry ingredients together.
Hand mix in the pecan pieces, and then fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Set aside.
In the prepared 1 ½ quart dish, pour the 2 Tbsp of super fruit syrup in the dish and spread around until all sides are evenly coated.
Add the blueberries to the dish and then proceed to pour the remaining mixture in. Bake for 20 minutes while topping is prepared.
To make the topping, combine all ingredients in a separate bowl, adding the plant-based buttery spread ½ Tbsp at a time to ensure the desired consistency. Once combined to preference, pour out evenly on the top of the mixture in the dish. Spread gently to ensure the topping is evenly distributed.
Once the mixture has baked for 20 minutes, carefully remove it from the oven and add the topping. Bake for another 20-30 minutes or until the center is set.
Serve warm, with additional fresh fruit or nuts for a healthy addition. Enjoy!
Notes:
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup acts as a sugar substitute in this recipe. To learn more about the nutrient benefits of using naturally sweetened foods in place of added sugars, read the article “Sugar,Sugar, or Honey, Honey (The Truth about Sugar Substitutes)” found at https://www.anniweeks.com/post/sugar-sugar-or-honey-honey .
Is Syrup better than Sugar?
The bottom line is that syrup is still sugar so on its own it is not a “healthy choice” per say. However, used in place of added sugars or paired with whole grains, it can be beneficial in regulating blood sugar swings when compared to other sweeteners.
How can I lower the sugar content of this recipe?
To lower the sugar in this recipe, you could also replace the topping with a low-calorie substitute, such as homemade granola or shredded coconut. Be sure to make sure your topping choice doesn’t have added sugars or extra sweeteners. You can also trade the GF flour for GF rolled oats at a 1:1 ratio, and this will add lots of nutrients! It will taste more like an oatmeal bake, but can be a fun twist on a traditional French dish.
References
Kirkpatrick K. Is Maple Syrup Better than Sugar. Cleveland Clinic. 2017. Accessed at https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-maple-syrup-better-for-you-than-sugar/
Lindberg S. Nutritional Facts: Pure Maple Syrup Vs. White Sugar. Livestrong. 2019. Accessed at https://www.livestrong.com/article/326813-nutritional-facts-pure-maple-syrup-vs-white-sugar/
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