Welcome to Kitchen Queries, where the nigella.com team will answer your cooking or food related questions.  We’d love you to submit some of your recipe problems, dilemmas or queries for us to get our teeth into!

Please note, we are only able to answer questions selected for publication and aren't able to enter into personal correspondence.

• Clafoutis - alternatives to a copper pan

  This recipe from Nigella Express book uses a copper tart tatin dish which I don't have. Would I get the same results if I were to use a stoneware pie dish or should I rather consider investing in a proper tart tatin one?

  Posted by MadamM. Answered on 13th Feb 2011 at 12.00

  From the nigella team:

  Although you don't have to use a copper tart tatin pan for the clafoutis we do suggest that you use some sort of thin metal pan, such as a metal pie dish or a solid bottomed cake tin. The reason for this is that the batter in the clafoutis needs a fast blast of heat to help it rise and a metal container will heat up again quickly when it goes into the oven. Unfortunately a stoneware dish will take longer heat up, resulting in a flatter and possibly slightly soggy dessert.

  You could use a cast iron ovenproof pan but as these are sturdier in construction than a tart tatin pan it will need to be preheated in the oven for slightly longer than the thin metal pan. We would suggest giving it 10-15 minutes in the oven before using. However as it has thicker walls than a tart tatin pan it will retain heat better when it is out of the oven and should still give you a puffy clafoutis.

  Add Bookmark facebook twitter Print share