Who knew that North Carolina produces such excellent produce. The apples here are the best I’ve ever had. The peaches, as Auntie Elana says, are also incredibly good, but last year it rained more than usual so they are not as sweet as they normally are.
When Life Gives You Less-Than-Perfect Peaches...
Perhaps this the peaches aren’t Georgia peaches, but those I got straight from the farmers were delicious. They were not terribly sweet but they still had a peachy fragrant and flavor. I was actually that Keanu and teenager, who both suffer from serious cases of sweet tooth, were not as thrilled about them as I was. Because I had an excuse to make a peach compote and this custard-like peach cake, or as the French call it, clafoutis (you don’t pronounce the “s”).
I knew that if I let them ripen in a sunny spot in the kitchen for a day or two, they’ll get juicier and sweeter. I will I’ll never throw away fruit, god forbid. You shouldn’t throw away fruit either, unless it’s got moldy or it’s a fruit that lost its soul and vitality on the long journey from South America (all the preservatives in the world won’t preserve their texture or flavor, and is bad for us and everything else, so why even bother to buy it?).
You can also add imperfect peaches to a salad or fruit salad.
By the way, when I was a kid, I couldn’t even look at fuzzy fruits—I would get goosebumps just from the thought of touching their skin. It got better over the years, but I still can’t bite into a peach or apricot unless it’s peeled or cooked. Feel free to peel them or make this with nectarines instead. You can make this with berries too—the classic version is, I think, cherry.
Making this clafoutis is easier than shaving my fuzzy legs. You can slice or dice the fruit, your choice. Making the batter in the blender is easier, but you can whisk it by hand if you don’t have a blender. You can serve it warm or cold—I love it at room temperature. Whatever you do, make sure the peaches are ripe: soft but not mushy.
Recipe adapted from Home Cooking Collective blog.
Easy Summery Peach Clafoutis
Equipment
- 8-inch casserole dish, pie plate, or cast-iron pan
- Blender
Ingredients
- 3 medium peaches or nectarine - pitted and thinly sliced peaches
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup cane sugar
- 1 lemon - zested
- 3 large eggs - room temperature
- 1¼ cups thick nut milk or vegan yogurt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or vegan butter - melted + 1 tablespoon for greasing the pan
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon brandy or almond extract
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 8-inch baking casserole or cast-iron pan with butter.
- Toss the sliced peaches with the vanilla extract and lemon zest on the cutting board or in a medium bowl. Arrange them evenly on the greased casserole. .
- Put the rest of the ingredients in a blender and blend until well combined.
- Pour the clafoutis batter over the peaches. Note: If you see any large air bubbles, you can poke them with a fork or a chopstick.
- Bake the clafoutis until the edges are golden-brown and the middle is just set, but still slightly wobbly, for about 30 – 60 minutes. A toothpick placed into the center of the pan should be clean.
- Remove the clafoutis from the oven and let cool for 10 – 15 minutes. Wait patiently. The clafoutis is more delicious when it’s room temperature. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
