Apricot & Almond Clafoutis

simple summer dessert that's sure to please

Summer desserts are a thing of wonder. With so much fruit in abundance this time of year, there never seems to be a shortage of sweet things to enjoy.

Keeping them simple and showcasing the expression of the fruit itself seems to be the trick—plus that means making a delightful dessert is much easier to pull together on a hot day.

If you’ve never had (or made for that matter) a clafoutis you’re in for a real treat. It’s an effortless custardy French dessert that you can make with all sorts of fruit throughout the year.

The first time I encountered a clafoutis was when I was doing a kitchen apprenticeship at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in my mid-twenties.

I remember going down the breakfast line and seeing a hotel pan filled with fluffy blackberry-dotted custard steaming in the cool morning air. I spooned a bit into my bowl and with the first bite I was in heaven!

I always looked forward to that breakfast at the monastery and found that a bowl of warm clafoutis with a few splashes of cold milk was a decadent start to the day.

Traditionally, it’s made with un-pitted black cherries. The pits are an important part while it’s cooking since they lend a subtle almond flavor that gets infused into the custard.

If you’re not using whole cherries, you could always add a little almond extract, or in this case, use almond flour.

I was lucky to make this Apricot & Almond Clafoutis before the heatwave hit this week. If you’re like me, you’ll do just about everything in your power to not turn the oven on during the summertime.

Our 1940s farmhouse doesn’t have AC and our old Wedgewood stove does a great job warming up the whole kitchen, which is wonderful in the winter, but not ideal on sweltering days in the summer.

Luckily, this clafoutis only takes about 10 minutes to whip up and about 30 minutes in the oven. It’s also lovely served at room temperature, so you can bake it during the cooler part of the day and serve it later.