Apricot Clafoutis

A super simple, absolutely delicious, French dessert!

This Apricot Clafoutis Recipe is a quick and easy French dessert idea that can be made with any stone fruit. Traditionally, Clafoutis is a Cherry Clafoutis but you can swap the cherries for apricots, plums or peaches too. Or in the fall try pears or apples!

Clafoutis is a wonderful French Recipe that combines a rich, custardy base with tart baked fruit. It takes minutes to prepare, and is best served cold, allowing for a make-ahead-dessert! For a similar French custard dessert try my Far Breton.

You’ll love the combination of the sweet, chilled custard, and the tart, jammy apricots!

Step#1: Slice the Apricots

• Slice the apricots in half and remove their pits.

• The interesting thing about traditional Cherry Clafoutis, is that in France they leave the pits inside the cherries!? (hello, choking hazard?!) claiming it adds more flavor to the dessert! I for one could never bring myself to serve it that way so I pit the cherries AND the apricots anytime I’m making clafoutis!

• Apricot clafoutis is so much easier than cherry clafoutis because pitting the apricots is way easer! The pits just pop out!

Apricots are the EASIEST stone fruit to pit! Just slice and pop the pit out!

Step#2: Make the Batter

• The nice thing about this batter is you can whip it up in a bowl and a whisk, no dragging out the electric mixers or blenders!

• To avoid a clumpy batter, mix together the milk and the flour first until smooth, then add the rest of the ingredients. This eliminates the need for a blender.

• This is the same technique I use in my Crepe recipe and my Dutch Baby Pancake recipe and it works like a charm, no lumps!

• I’m using a 12″ quiche dish but any pie plate or tart pan would work, assuming it doesn’t have a removable bottom, since the batter would leak out.

Step#3: Place the Apricots

• In traditional clafoutis recipes, the cherries are placed in first and then the batter is poured on top.

• However apricots are bigger than cherries and I find they work better placed in after the batter.

• That way their interiors bake more evenly and become jammy by having more exposure to the heat in the oven, than they would if they were buried under the batter.

• Then all you have to do is bake, cool and chill!

Give a bit of room in between the apricots, this will allow the custard to bake fully in between them, as it puffs up and bakes.

Should Clafoutis be Served Hot or Cold?

• This is a matter of opinion, but if you ask my French husband he was deliver a resounding “Yes, COLD!” And I must say I have come around to this line of thinking!

• When served chilled the clafoutis has a firmer texture, much like a flan.

• And in the markets in France I see it served at room temperature in big large slabs.

• So I’m thinking “warm clafoutis” might be an American habit, since we do love our warm fruit desserts in the summer time! If you want to try one of my favorites, try my warm Plum Crumble!

As the clafoutis cools and then chills, it will deflate a bit and settle down. It will also be a lot easier to slice once chilled!

Serving and Storage:

• Once the clafoutis is fully baked, allow it to cool. You’ll know that the clafoutis is done if it doesn’t jiggle and a toothpick comes out clean.

• Then place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

• This will help it set up and become easier to slice, like pie.

• Clafoutis is best served chilled, and if desired alongside a large dollop of homemade whipped cream or powdered sugar dusted on top.

• Wrap any leftovers up in foil and keep refrigerated. It will keep for 3-4 days, but it is really best enjoyed within 24 hours, otherwise the custard hardens and the apricots start to emit too much moisture while in the fridge, making the clafoutis runny.

Clafoutis custard is not overly sweet, you can make it a bit sweeter by brushing melted apricot jam on the apricots, which will also give it a nice shine. You can also dust it with some powdered sugar too!