One of the joys of summer in France is seeing the creative, seasonal dishes everyone prepares. This year, my sister-in-law surprised me by swapping her usual apricot tarte for a light and irresistible apricot flan, paired with homemade apricot sorbet. While I might skip the effort of making sorbet, the flan is a must-try! This simple, healthy dessert became a highlight of my summer and is an easy addition to your weekly meal plan.
Flan is versatile enough to serve as breakfast, a wholesome snack for kids, or a healthy dessert that finishes a light dinner.
Here’s an easy four-course meal that illustrates how quick and simple it can be to make a "fancy" four-course meal.
Start with raw vegetables like cucumbers or tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and sea salt.
Cucumbers Drizzled with Olive Oil, Celtic Salt, and Tellicherry Pepper
Follow with roasted tomato soup (a freezer staple for busy nights).
Add slices of dried sausage with fresh bread (and maybe a pat of butter, French-style).
Dried Sausage Rolled in Herbes de Provence
Finish with a slice of apricot flan for dessert.
With leftover flan and soup in the freezer, this meal comes together in no time, making an effortless dinner for a busy weekday or entertaining.
PrintThis flan is easily adaptable — use peaches, plums, or pears if apricots aren’t available. It’s a great way to transform less flavorful fruit into something special.
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Four eggs
2 cups of whole milk
1 pint of apricots, or peaches, plums, or pears- or a combination of what’s on hand
Optional: powdered sugar for dusting
Apricot Flan Dusted with Powdered Sugar
Butter a pie-sized baking dish and sprinkle with sugar.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, eggs, and milk until smooth.
Halve the apricots, remove the pits, and place the apricots cut-side down in a shallow buttered baking dish.
Pour the batter over the apricots.
Bake for 35–40 minutes or until the flan is set and lightly golden.
Optional: Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
For Lump-Free Batter:
Sugar Dusting Made Easy:
Prevent Sticking:
Serving Suggestion:
A flan is very similar to a fruit clafoutis. You can learn more about clafoutis here. They're like a crustless quiche, very light, and you can make a sweet or savory version. Clafoutis are perfect for using up leftovers and making an easy dinner.