Quick Summary: Peach clafoutis is a classic French dessert of fresh peaches baked in a rich, custardy batter. This easy recipe comes together in one bowl, bakes in about 40 minutes, and can be served warm or cold.

What is peach clafoutis?

Peach clafoutis (pronounced kla-foo-TEE) is a rustic French dessert made by baking whole or sliced fruit in a thick, flan-like custard batter. The classic version from the Limousin region uses black cherries, but peaches make a summery variation with the same soft, custardy center and lightly set edges.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Beginner-friendly: the one-bowl batter comes together with a whisk, so even a first-time baker can make it.
• Few simple ingredients: you only need flour, milk, eggs, sugar, and fresh peaches.
• A summer dessert: it makes the most of seasonal stone fruit for a BBQ, picnic, or dinner party.
• Quick to prepare: the batter needs no resting, so this fruity dessert is ready in about 40 minutes.
• Served warm or cold: enjoy it fresh from the oven or chilled from the fridge.

Please note that you don't need to rest the clafoutis batter, unlike when making French crepes.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Flour: the recipe calls for all-purpose flour. You can replace half the flour with cornstarch or use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour. I haven't tried to replace it with another type of flour.

• Sugar: use granulated sugar or caster sugar. You can reduce the amount of sugar by partially replacing it with agave syrup.

• Salt enhances the dessert's flavors.

• Eggs: the recipe calls for 2 large eggs at room temperature.

• Milk: Use whole milk, or lighten the clafoutis recipe with low-fat milk if desired. You can also use your favorite alternative milk, such as oat milk, rice milk, almond milk, etc.

• Heavy cream brings creaminess to the custard, but you can replace it with milk if preferred.

• Vanilla extract brings a warm flavor to the dessert. If serving the dessert to adults, replace the vanilla extract with Calvados, dark rum, or bourbon.

• Butter: use unsalted butter to caramelize nuts and grease the baking pan.

• Pistachios: use raw or toasted pistachios, coarsely chopped. You can replace pistachios with chopped slivered almonds.

• Honey caramelizes the pistachios; instead of honey, feel free to try maple syrup.

• Vanilla sugar: use a single sachet (9 g) to caramelize the pistachios.

• Fresh peaches are the star of the peach clafoutis recipe. Choose ripe peaches for the best results. You can use frozen peaches: thaw and drain the peach slices, but don't overcook them. Avoid canned peaches for this recipe: they will turn soft and lose their shape while heating up.

• Sprinkle powdered sugar (or icing sugar) on top of the dessert before serving.

Equipment

Here is what you need to make peach clafoutis:

• Mixing bowl
• Hand whisk
• Flour sifter
• Paring knife
• Slotted spoon
• Medium skillet
• Pie tin or baking dish

How to make peach clafoutis

Step 1. Peel fresh peaches. Plunge whole peaches for about 30 seconds in boiling water. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them in a large bowl with ice-cold water (aka ice bath).

Step 2. Let the peaches cool for a few minutes, then peel the skin using a small, sharp paring knife. Cut peeled peaches into quarters by pitting them. Put them aside.

Step 3. Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). With a knob of butter, grease a pie tin.

Step 4. Make the clafoutis batter. Sift all-purpose flour in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and a pinch of salt, and make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Break eggs into the well and gently mix with a hand whisk (photo 1).

Step 5. Dilute the batter by pouring the milk and cream gradually, stirring with the whisk to avoid forming lumps. Add vanilla extract and mix. (photo 2). The batter will resemble a German pancake batter but a little bit thicker. Set the batter aside.

Pro tip: Unlike many beliefs that batter needs a resting period, you can proceed with the dessert.

Step 6. Melt butter in a medium-sized skillet (or another fireproof baking dish) and fry pistachios over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Add honey and vanilla sugar and cook until caramelized (photo 3).

Step 7. Add the prepared peach quarters and coat them evenly with caramel and nuts over the heat, but don't cook them (photo 4).

Step 8. Transfer the peach mixture to the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the peaches evenly, cut side down, in a single layer (photo 5). Pour mixture over the peaches (photo 6).

Step 9. Bake your clafoutis. Bring the clafoutis to the oven and bake for about 35-40 minutes. The surface of the clafoutis should be blond or slightly golden (photo 7).

Step 10. Serve warm or let it cool, then sprinkle with icing (powdered) sugar (photo 8).

Expert tips

• Pass the clafoutis batter through a fine-mesh sieve if there are lumps. Or use a blender, electric mixer, or food processor to get a smooth mixture.
• To avoid a mess, use an oven protector mat to catch possible batter spills. Don't use aluminum foil, as it can cause the food to overcook.
• Serve clafoutis in the same baking dish it was baked in. Slice and accompany it with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Use ripe but firm peaches, so they hold their shape and do not turn watery during baking.
• Arrange the peaches cut side down in a single layer so each slice sets into the custard.
• Do not overbake: pull the clafoutis once the center is just set, or the texture turns rubbery.
• For a golden top, dust the surface with a little sugar before baking, so it caramelizes.

Recipe variations

Despite the classic cherry clafoutis, you can also fill the thick French custard base with other fruits of your choice.

• Other fruits: swap in pears, apples, grapes, apricots, nectarines, or berries; a pear or apple version is called flognarde.
• Mixed berries: replace half of the peaches with cherries or blueberries for a peach and berry clafoutis.
• Extra flavor: increase the vanilla, add a pinch of cinnamon, or use mint-infused milk.
• Nutty top: replace the pistachios with slivered almonds, or scatter flaked almonds over the batter.
• Cast iron: bake it in a buttered cast iron skillet for crisp, caramelized edges.
• Individual portions: bake mini clafoutis in ramekins or small tart pans.

Storing & freezing

The clafoutis is best served the day it's made. Store the leftover clafoutis in an airtight container or covered with plastic film in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Reheat in the microwave in 15-second intervals until heated through.

Freezing clafoutis is not recommended because it can change the custard's texture. If you still want to freeze your dessert, don't keep it in the freezer for longer than one week.

Troubleshooting tips

A few common clafoutis problems are easy to fix. Here is how to solve them:

Why is my clafoutis full of lumps?

To prevent lumps, whisk half of the milk into the flour first, then add the rest. For an extra-smooth batter, blitz everything in a blender or food processor.

Why did my clafoutis collapse?

A clafoutis flattens when you beat too much air into the batter. Mix gently, only until the ingredients come together.

Why is my clafoutis heavy?

For a lighter clafoutis, swap some of the flour for cornstarch and use low-fat milk instead of whole milk.

Why is my clafoutis rubbery?

Overbaking is the usual cause of a rubbery texture. Reduce the baking time by 5 to 10 minutes, or lower the oven temperature slightly.

The center should still have a soft, custardy wobble when you take it out of the oven; it firms up as it cools.

Stick to the number of eggs in the recipe, since too many eggs make the batter dense and rubbery.

Why is my clafoutis too pale?

To brown a pale clafoutis, dust the top with granulated sugar about 10 minutes before the end of baking so it caramelizes.

Why does my clafoutis stick to the pan?

Butter the pan well and dust it with granulated or brown sugar before pouring in the batter, so the clafoutis releases cleanly.

Why does the fruit sink to the bottom?

To keep the fruit from sinking, add it to the batter after the first 10 to 15 minutes of baking. This is the same method used for cherry clafoutis.

Recipe FAQ

Do you need to peel the peaches for clafoutis?
Peeling is optional but recommended. Blanching and peeling the peaches gives a smoother texture, but you can leave the skin on for a more rustic result.

Can you use canned or frozen peaches?
Fresh, ripe peaches work best. Canned peaches turn soft and watery, and frozen peaches release extra liquid, so drain and pat them dry if you use them.

Can you use almond milk in clafoutis?
Yes. Replace the whole milk with almond milk to make the clafoutis dairy-free and suitable for those who are lactose intolerant.

Is clafoutis served hot or cold?
Serve peach clafoutis warm, at room temperature, or cold. It is easy to slice into portions once it has cooled slightly.

Can you make peach clafoutis ahead of time?
You can bake it a few hours ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Serve it cold or briefly reheat it in the microwave.

How many calories are in peach clafoutis?
Each slice of peach clafoutis has about 239 calories, though this varies by ingredients and portion size.

Love peach desserts? Try these next!

• Caramelized Skillet Peaches
• Puff Pastry Peach Galette
• Peach Compote
• Peach And Blueberry Galette

Want more delicious and beautiful recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for my latest updates. If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below!

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

Quick Summary: French prune custard cake, or Far Breton, is a classic dessert from Brittany that bakes rum-soaked prunes into a rich, dense, flan-like custard. It needs only about 20 minutes of hands-on time and makes 8 generous servings, and the prunes and batter can be prepped a day ahead.

If you have never made French Far Breton (Far Breton aux pruneaux in French), a signature dessert from the Brittany region, it is a good one to start with. This easy prune custard cake is simple to put together yet always a crowd-pleaser.

With just a few ingredients and little effort, it makes a reliable everyday cake for any occasion. The batter is much like crepe batter, so if you can make crepes, you will manage Far Breton with no trouble.

The texture is so creamy that it is a pleasure to spoon the cake straight from the baking dish, especially when a piece is full of prunes.

What is Far Breton?

Far Breton, also called Breton Far, is a dense, flan-like custard cake from the Brittany region of France. Its name comes from the Latin far, meaning porridge or gruel, a nod to its humble origins.

The dish dates to the 18th century, when it was a savory preparation made with buckwheat flour. The sweet version, baked with prunes and known in French as far breton aux pruneaux, took hold in the 19th century and became the classic we know today.

Modern Far Breton is made with a simple batter of flour, eggs, milk, and sugar, close to crepe batter, then studded with rum-soaked prunes. Cooks often flavor it with vanilla sugar, dark rum, or plum liqueur.

What is custard?

Custard is a family of preparations made from milk or cream, sugar, and eggs, sometimes thickened further with flour, cornstarch, or gelatin. Eggs give custard its smooth, creamy set.

It ranges widely in texture, from a thin pouring sauce like crème anglaise, to a thicker pastry cream (crème pâtissière), to the dense, sliceable custards of clafoutis, Far Breton, and savory quiche.

Far Breton vs. clafoutis

Far Breton and clafoutis are both baked, fruit-studded custards, so they look similar at a glance and share a crepe-like batter.

The difference is in texture and fruit. Far Breton is dense and flan-like, traditionally made with rum-soaked prunes from Brittany. Clafoutis is lighter and more tender, and classically baked with black cherries.

When clafoutis is made with any fruit other than cherries, such as plums, pears, peaches, or apples, it is technically called a flaugnarde.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Easy to make: the batter comes together like crepe batter, with only about 20 minutes of hands-on time.
• Make-ahead friendly: soak the prunes and mix the batter a day before, then bake the next day in minutes.
• Budget-friendly: it uses a handful of simple, low-cost ingredients and yields 8 generous servings.
• Any time of day: serve it for breakfast, as an after-dinner dessert, or pack it for a picnic.
• Rum-soaked prunes: the soaked prunes add deep flavor, and you can leave out the alcohol for a kid-friendly cake.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Rum: use dark rum or replace it with calvados or plum liqueur to vary the taste. Omit alcohol to make the custard cake kid-friendly.

• Tea: the recipe calls for two black tea bags.

• Prunes: use stoned prunes or replace them with raisins if desired.

• Flour: the recipe calls for all-purpose flour.

• Sugar: use granulated white sugar or caster sugar to make Far Breton.

• Salt: one pinch of salt makes a difference. It enhances the dessert's flavors.

• Eggs: use whole large-sized eggs at room temperature.

• Butter: use unsalted, melted butter for this recipe.

• Milk: whole milk is preferred, but you can replace it with low-fat milk.

Equipment

You need only a few basic tools to make Far Breton:

• Square ceramic baking dish or cake pan
• Mixing bowls
• Hand whisk
• Small saucepan or bowl for soaking the prunes
• Colander
• Fine-mesh sieve for dusting powdered sugar

How to make French prune cake Far Breton

Step 1. Steep the tea bags in warm water, then add the rum and pitted prunes. Let the prunes soak for two hours (photo 1).

Step 2. Drain the prunes in a colander and set them aside.

Step 3. Preheat the oven to 395°F (200°C).

Step 4. Butter a square ceramic baking dish and arrange the drained prunes over the bottom.

Step 5. To make the batter, place the eggs, sugar, and salt in a bowl and mix with a hand whisk (photo 2).

Step 6. Add the flour and mix to combine. Then add the melted butter, cold milk, and rum, and whisk until the batter is smooth (photo 3).

Step 7. Pour the batter over the prunes (photo 5).

Step 8. Bake at 395°F (200°C) for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 345°F (170°C) and bake for one hour longer (photo 6).

Expert tips

• Soak the prunes for 2 hours, or overnight, a day ahead. Drain them, cover, and keep at room temperature or in the fridge.
• Make the batter a day in advance too, and store it covered in the fridge so you only need a few minutes the next day.
• Use good, plump prunes, since they carry the cake's flavor. Soaking them in rum, Armagnac, or plum liqueur deepens the taste.
• To make the prunes float higher in the cake, toss them in a little flour and stir them into the poured batter instead of lining the dish.
• Do not open the oven while the cake bakes, or it may deflate before it is set.
• Far Breton naturally sinks a little as it cools, which is normal for this custard cake.

Recipe variations

Far Breton is easy to adapt. Here are a few ways to change it up:

• Different spirits: swap the rum for Armagnac, Cognac, calvados, or plum liqueur, or leave out the alcohol for a kid-friendly cake.
• Other dried fruit: use raisins instead of prunes, or soak both together for a two-fruit Far Breton.
• Vanilla or citrus: add vanilla sugar, a split vanilla bean, or a little orange or lemon zest to the batter.
• Individual servings: bake the batter in buttered ramekins to reduce baking time.
• Savory and traditional: the original 18th-century Far was a savory dish made with buckwheat flour, a nod to its Breton roots.

How to serve Far Breton

Serve Far Breton warm or cold in a baking dish. The dessert tends to deflate as it cools. To serve Far dessert out of the baking pan, butter and line the pan's bottom with parchment paper.

After baking, run a knife around the custard in the dish to loosen it. Invert the baking pan onto parchment, sprinkled with icing sugar. Remove the pan, peel off the paper, and quickly invert onto the serving plate. Sprinkle the top of the custard with icing (powdered) sugar.

Storing & freezing

Store Far Breton in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It actually improves after a day, as the flavors settle and the custard firms up. Bring it back to room temperature, or warm it gently, before serving.

Freezing is not recommended. Like most baked custards, Far Breton loses its creamy texture once thawed and can turn watery, so it is best enjoyed within a few days.

Recipe FAQ

What is French prune custard cake?
It is Far Breton, a classic dessert from Brittany made by baking prunes into a rich, dense, flan-like custard. The batter is close to crepe batter, and the prunes are usually soaked in tea and rum first.

What is the difference between Far Breton and clafoutis?
Both are baked custards, but Far Breton is denser and more flan-like, traditionally made with prunes from Brittany. Clafoutis is lighter and more tender, and it is classically made with black cherries.

Why do you use prunes and custard together?
Soaked prunes add deep, sweet flavor and moisture that balances the plain, eggy custard. They are the signature fruit of the traditional recipe, though raisins work too.

Why did my Far Breton sink or deflate?
A little sinking as it cools is normal for this custard cake. To limit it, don't open the oven during baking, and let the cake cool gradually.

Can you make Far Breton ahead of time?
Yes. Soak the prunes and mix the batter a day ahead, then bake the next day. The baked cake also keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days and tastes even better the second day.

Can you make it without alcohol?
Yes. Leave out the rum and soak the prunes in tea alone for a kid-friendly version.

How many calories are in French prune custard cake?
One serving has about 305 calories.

Love custards? Try these next!

• Cherry Clafoutis
• Easy Fresh Peach Clafoutis
• Coconut Flan (Flan de Coco)
• Crème Anglaise (Vanilla Custard Sauce)
• Browse all the Custard Recipes

Want more delicious and beautiful recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for my latest updates. If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below!

Print

Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from https://www.meilleurduchef.com. It was originally published in February 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos.