Bake It, Don’t Fake It: Clafoutis Edition
Your Spring Dessert Just Got a French Accent
by Nell Thomas
Let’s be real. Once spring hits in Ballantyne, the only thing more in bloom than the trees are our social calendars. Between lawn parties, school recitals, and the slow march toward pool season, there’s one unspoken contest playing out behind the scenes: who brings the best dessert?
Enter the clafoutis—a rustic French hybrid between custard and cake, packed with fresh strawberries and the power to make anyone look like they trained under Julia Child.
The May 2025 Resident Recipe from Chef Alicia of Copper & Thyme is simple, seasonal, and completely show-offable. No puff pastry. No gelatin. Just pantry staples, a handful of strawberries, and the ability to tell your guests it’s pronounced cla-foo-TEE with smug confidence.
Strawberry Clafoutis
🧁 Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, halved
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ tsp vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- Butter for greasing
- Powdered sugar for drama
👩🍳 Method:
- Butter a dish like you mean it.
- Toss in those strawberries—don’t arrange, this isn’t Instagram.
- Whisk everything else until smooth and pour over the fruit.
- Bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes.
- Dust with powdered sugar like you’re in a Nancy Meyers movie.
- Serve lukewarm, preferably outdoors while judging someone’s outfit.
It’s a dessert that doesn’t try too hard—but looks like it did. And in this season of asparagus bunches and perfectly imperfect radishes, the clafoutis is a love letter to less-is-more.
Looking for more neighborly brilliance? Dive into our local features, like how At The Hop Auto Services turns SUVs into shiny miracles, or let your imagination jet-set with WanderLuxury Travel, your passport to stress-free exploration.
📸 Have your own story, recipe, or sweet little moment to share? Send it to us: ballantyne@strollmag.com
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🖊️ Note
Until next bake,
Nell Thomas
Senior Writer, The Charlotte Mercury & proud Strolling Ballantyne contributor
I take my coffee like I take my clafoutis: hot, French, and with a dusting of sass.
Read more at cltmercury.com and strollingballantyne.com 🍓
