Are you tired of the same old desserts and looking to shake things up in the kitchen? Imagine a fruit dessert without gluten and dairy but with an unexpected hint of fresh rosemary.
Meet Aubrey, an apricot and rosemary-infused gluten free clafoutis. In French patisserie, combining fruits and herbs is highly regarded as a foundation for creating new and exciting flavors. Apricot and rosemary are one of those.
I like to give my pastry creations unique names. It’s a common practice when creating new recipes at Bellouet Conseil, a prestigious Advanced Pastry School I attended many years ago in Paris.
Best Apricots For the Gluten Free Clafoutis
When selecting the best apricots for baking, choosing ripe yet slightly firm ones is crucial. Look for apricots with a beautiful golden-orange color and a slight blush, indicating they are at peak ripeness.
Blenheim Apricots are highly prized for their superior flavor and sweetness; Blenheim is excellent in any baked dish, mainly where the Apricot is the star, like in turnovers, galettes and of course this gluten free clafoutis recipe.
California Apricots are known for their vibrant color and balance of sweet and tart flavors. They are great in baked goods where a stronger apricot presence is desired, such as pies and crumbles.
Rosemary Infused Custard
Infuse the custard with the earthy and aromatic essence of fresh rosemary to complement the sweet and tangy flavors of the ripe apricots.
To do this, oat, rice, or soy milk is infused with a few rosemary leaves by heating them until just before boiling and then leaving them for 10-15 minutes to infuse. Rosemary is a strong herb, so be careful not to use too much to overpower the delicate flavor of apricots.
Key Ingredients To Make Aubrey
To make this delightful dessert, here’s a list of what you’ll need:
- Firm-ripe apricots. Avoid overly mushy or bruised apricots, as they may not hold up well during baking. Opt for apricots with a sweet and slightly tangy flavor profile, as they will add depth and complexity to your clafoutis.
- Shortcrust Pastry. There are two options for shortcrust dough: the gluten free sweet shortcrust pastry or the gluten-free pâte brisée. Both work well, but I used pâte brisée for this recipe because it’s not sweet.
Substitution Table
| Original Ingredients | Substitute With |
|---|---|
| Gluten-free Pâte Brisée | Schar GF Puff Pastry |
| Fresh Rosemary | Dried Rosemary |
| Oat milk, Gluten Free | Soy or Rice milk, Gluten Free |
| Surewhip Heavy Cream, Dairy Free | Califia Farms Double Cream, Dairy Free |
Step By Step Process
STEP 1 – Making the Gluten-Free Pâte Brisée
- Place the gluten free flour on a work surface or large mixing bowl.
- Using your fingers, incorporate the cold butter cubes, salt, sugar, and eggs until the dough resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the cold water, then slightly knead to form a dough ball. Wrap the dough with a cling wrap and chill for an hour.
- Check out the Gluten-free pâte brisée recipe for detailed instructions.
STEP 2 – Infusing Milk and Cream with Rosemary
- Heat the oat milk, heavy cream, sugar, and rosemary sprig in a small saucepan over low heat until it starts to simmer.
- Remove from heat and infuse for 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
STEP 3 – Baking the Clafoutis
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Grease a 21 cm X 2 cm deep metal tart ring or an 8-inch pie dish.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the cold dough between two sheets of baking paper to about 4 cm (0.15 in), then press it on the prepared cake ring or pie dish. Blind bake for 15 minutes, then set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, sugar, eggs, infused milk and double cream, vanilla powder/extract, and salt until smooth. Strain to remove lumps and pieces of rosemary leaves.
- Arrange neatly the sliced apricots on top of the batter shortcrust dough and carefully pour the infused custard over the apricots. Sprinkle thin layer of icing sugar on top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the clafoutis is set and golden brown. Allow the clafoutis to cool slightly on the rack.
- Sprinkle some icing sugar or brush with warm, clear fruit glaze before cutting and serving.
Aubrey: Apricot and Rosemary Gluten Free Clafoutis
Equipment
- Digital scale
Ingredients
Gluten Free Pâte Brisée
- 15 g cold water
- 270 g Schar Bread Mix flour or Caputo GF Flour
- 150 g salted vegan butter – Violife
- 3 g salt
- 5 g sugar
- 60 g egg or one large egg
Clafoutis and Rosemary-Infused Custard
- 120 g oat milk gluten-free
- 120 g heavy cream dairy-free, gluten free
- 1 small sprig of fresh rosemary
- 130 g gluten-free flour
- 100 g sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 pinch vanilla powder or 10 g vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 7-8 medium ripe apricots pitted and sliced in halves
Instructions
Gluten-Free Pâte Brisée
- Place the gluten free flour on a work surface or large mixing bowl.
- Using your fingers, incorporate the cold butter cubes, salt, sugar, and eggs until the dough resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the cold water, then slightly knead to form a dough ball. Wrap the dough with a cling wrap and chill for an hour.
- Check out the gluten-free pâte brisée recipe for detailed instructions.
Infusing Milk and Cream with Rosemary
- Heat the oat milk, dairy-free heavy cream, sugar, and rosemary sprig in a small saucepan over low heat until it starts to simmer.
- Remove from heat and infuse for 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
Baking the Clafoutis
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Grease a 21 cm X 2 cm deep metal tart ring or an 8-inch pie dish.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the cold dough between two sheets of baking paper to about 4 cm (0.15 in), then press it on the prepared cake ring or pie dish. Blind bake for 15 minutes, then set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, sugar, eggs, infused milk and double cream, vanilla powder/extract, and salt until smooth. Strain to remove lumps and pieces of rosemary leaves.
- Arrange neatly the sliced apricots on top of the batter shortcrust dough and carefully pour the infused custard over the apricots.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the clafoutis is set and golden brown. Allow the clafoutis to cool slightly on the rack.
- Sprinkle some icing sugar or brush with warm, clear fruit glaze before cutting and serving.
