Easy Fresh Peach Clafoutis (Julia Child's Recipe) (2024)

This peach clafoutis recipe is the perfect summer dessert! Fresh fruit bakes in an eggy batter, yielding a cakey, custardy texture with a vanilla-scented aroma. It's an easy and tasty treat for a dinner party or a summer BBQ.

Have you ever tried clafoutis? It's a delicious baked French dessert somewhere between a cakey and a custardy, eggy texture originating in the Limousin region of France. I originally found the recipe from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

It's most traditionally made with black cherries; fun fact, the fruit is often unpitted, bringing a delicate almond flavor to the dish (yes, the pits actually taste like almonds).

Why You'll Love This Dessert

• Simple and quick: With just 15 minutes of prep time, this dessert is so quick and easy it'll be in the oven in no time!
• Light and well-balanced: The custard batter is not too heavy, and it's balanced by freshly cut slices of tangy and sweet peaches.
• Make-ahead friendly: You can bake the custard up to one day in advance and reheat it just before serving.

Ingredient Notes

Let's talk about key ingredients. Try to ensure your ingredients are all room temperature, which can prevent any curdling in the batter.

• Fresh Peaches: Look for ripe, in-season peaches for this recipe. The sweeter and juicier the peaches, the more flavorful the cake will be.
• All-Purpose Flour: Flour helps give the clafoutis a more cakey texture.
• Vanilla Paste: I'm a big fan of using vanilla paste in desserts, as I think it adds a more intense aroma and flavor. If you don't have this, you can substitute an equal amount of extract.
• Almond Extract: Unlike the traditional version, I pre-pit my peaches so you don't have to bite through the pits. But I love the idea of a subtle almond flavor, so I include a bit of extract to mimic the original recipe.
• Demerara Sugar: Optionally, I like to sprinkle some demerara sugar on top of the clafoutis for additional texture and sweetness.
• Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar, or icing sugar, is dusted on top. It's mostly aesthetic -- I just love how pretty it looks!

Top Ingredient Tip

With stone fruits, there are two types of varieties: clingstone and freestone. Clingstone peaches have pits that "cling" to the flesh of the fruit, so they're more difficult to detach.

Freestone peaches have more freely detachable pits, so they're more ideal for baking (easier prep!). Generally, most grocery stores have freestone peaches, but if you're at the farmer's market, make sure to check with the stand.

Variations/Substitutions

• For a richer custard, substitute ¼ cup of the milk for heavy cream.
• Can't find peaches? Feel free to use nectarines!

Instructions

Step 1: Thinly slice your peaches, and toss them with lemon zest, sugar, and vanilla paste. Grease the bottom of a baking pan with butter, then arrange the peaches evenly.

Step 2: Make the clafoutis batter by blending melted butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and almond extract. Add the flour, and blend until smooth (no clumps should remain). Be sure not to "overblend" the mixture, which can cause excessive air bubbles.

Step 3: Slowly pour the egg mixture over the peaches. Remove any large air bubbles by poking them with chopsticks.

Step 4: Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top (if using).

Step 5: Bake in the oven until the top is nicely golden-brown and the cake is cooked through (a toothpick prodded into the center of the cake should come out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs). This could take anywhere from 35 minutes to an hour, depending on the depth of the casserole dish.

Cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar and serve warm (or at room temperature). You can serve it by itself, or with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Storage & Make-Ahead Instructions

Leftover clafoutis can last 3-4 days in the fridge; slice pieces in an airtight container.

You can also bake the dessert up to 1 day in advance. Reheat before serving until warmed through.

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