Peach clafoutis and the joy of summer’s stone fruit
I spent most of my working life behind a stove, including a stretch as executive chef at St. Supéry Vineyards and Winery in Rutherford. Fancy ingredients, fancier wine pairings and plenty of long days. I’m now retired and living in Calistoga, where I spend Saturday mornings at the farmers market sharpening knives, chatting with neighbors and offering up a few loaves of my fresh-baked focaccia bread.
If you haven’t been to the Calistoga Farmers Market lately, you’re missing out. There’s something about buying food from the person who pulled it out of the ground that morning or picked it off a tree yesterday that just feels right.
When stone fruit hits its stride, I always come back to one of my favorite French desserts: clafoutis (pronounced kla-foo-TEE). It’s nothing fancy. Just a simple, rustic treat made with good ingredients treated well. Traditionally, it’s made with cherries, but peaches or other stone fruit work beautifully. Just go with what’s at its peak. And the best part? You can eat it for dessert or sneak it for breakfast the next day.
Peach Clafoutis
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced (about 2 cups)
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Butter (for greasing the dish)
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
To make it:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch pie dish or baking pan with butter. Just make sure the pan is large enough to hold all the ingredients with at least an inch to spare at the top. Layer the peaches across the bottom. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until frothy. Add the milk, flour, vanilla and salt. Mix until smooth, with no lumps. Pour the batter over the peaches.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until golden and just set in the center (a slight jiggle is okay). Let it cool to room temperature, or serve it slightly warm if you prefer, then dust with powdered sugar.
A dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche makes it extra special.
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