Name: Apricot Clafoutis
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 5 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups (591 ml) of milk; 1 1/2 cups (180g) of flour; 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream; 1 cup (201g) of sugar; 3 eggs; 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla extract or 1 tsp almond extract; 6-10 apricots, pitted and sliced in half; 2 cups (480ml) heavy cream; 2 Tablespoons (14g) powdered sugar; 1 tsp (5ml) Vanilla Extract

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This Apricot Clafoutis 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.

Apricot Clafoutis baked in a white quiche dish with powdered sugar — Clafoutis is not very sweet. Just before serving dust with confectioner’s sugar.

Ingredients:

Fresh Apricots When we are in France, I love to use apricots because they are so beautiful and I just cannot resist them! They are much larger, and I find more flavorful than what we find in California. Depending upon size you’ll need anywhere from 6-10 apricots.
Milk You can use whole milk or skim milk.
Flour Simple all-purpose flour is all you need. Nothing fancy.
Heavy Cream Makes the clafoutis richer and more flan like. This makes it easier to slice too.
Sugar I don’t use too much sugar in this recipe because traditionally clafoutis is not that sweet.
Eggs Three large eggs is what t takes to get that velvety, custardy texture.
Vanilla Extract I use vanilla extract in this recipe but you could also use 1 teaspoon of almond extract instead. The combination of almond and apricot is a terrific flavor combination. Or feel free to add a little orange or lemon zest too.

French apricots in a basket — Beautiful French apricots almost look like peaches!

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 in 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!

Sliced apricot on cutting board with knife — Removing the pits of an apricot is much easier than pitting cherries!

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 elevates 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.

Apricots placed in batter in a quich dish — Pour the batter and then place the apricots in cut side up

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.

A slice of clafoutis with apricots on a plate — Placing the apricots on top of the batter allows them to become jammy

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!

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 giggle 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 vanilla ice cream.
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.

A sliced into apricot clafoutis — As clafoutis chills it firms up like a flan

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