This simple, fragrant and creamy plum flan recipe is an easy, luscious plum tart that takes just minutes to make. The creamy custard like base bakes up thick and soft around fresh and juicy plums. Delicious on it's own or top it with whipped cream for a little extra.
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What Inspired This Recipe
The ingredient list is short and the smell of this sweet, fruity, vanilla custard style cake is irresistible! Mmmm I can smell it now. I love fruit based desserts and if you do to, try my Apple Oatmeal Cake, Apple brown sugar cake or Ultimate Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake!
Why You Should Make This Recipe
Flan is quick and this is made even quicker by using the blender or food processor. The liquid ingredients get blended up, then the flour is added before blending again. Next up, you pour the runny batter into your pie plate, cast iron pan or baking dish. Top with your juicy sliced plums and bake.
Recipe Ingredients
- Purple Plums - I love Italian plums but any purple plums are tasty in this flan.
- Eggs - Eggs are the main ingredient in custard and there is no substitute. I use size large, grade A eggs.
- Milk - Whole milk (or cream) is what converts our eggs into custard keeping the end result creamy and silky. Do not use low fat milk.
- Vanilla Extract - A little pure vanilla extract goes a long way in making this fresh plum flan recipe taste ultra creamy.
- Cold Butter - I use this for greasing the baking dish.
What makes the flan base?
Instead of a pastry base, the simple filling of vanilla, milk, eggs and sugar doubles as the base making this super quick to make. It whips up fast in a blender and gets poured right into the pie or tart tin. You can also use a springform pan.
Step By Step Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350' F and lightly butter a 9" heavy pie plate. (I used my Pyrex glass pie plate
2. Wash, pit and slice plums into thick slices, removing any bruised or discolored spots.
3. In blender add eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and salt and blend well (30-60 seconds).
4. Add flour and blend again to combine flour. Then pour the egg mixture into pie plate.
5. Arrange the plum slices over the top and bake in oven 25-30 min. Plum flan will be lightly browned on the edges and should still have a slight jiggle in the middle.
6. Let cool slightly then serve warm sprinkle with icing sugar.
Helpful Hint: The proper consistency of a flan is like a clafoutis. It's in between a cake and a custard and it is best achieved by not over cooking.
Late summer and early fall is such an abundant time for fresh plums. I enjoy them mainly fresh on their own but plums are so good baked, cooked into a jam or preserved too. They are sweet but also tart and light when raw and once cooked they are rich and jammy.
How To Preserve Plums
My mom used to can fruit with her sister (my Auntie Barb) and her mom (my Grandma Fran) and canned plums were one of my favorites. They became syrupy and delicious and I loved them on their own or over plain yogurt or vanilla ice cream. Alas, the plum tree I planted never took and so I do not have the excess to can them but if you have lots, I highly recommend canning a few in a light syrup. Alternatively, you can pit and freeze them on a tray and transfer to airtight bags or containers once frozen.
FAQ's
Yes! Flan freezes quite well. Be sure to wrap your tart well to prevent freezer burn. When you are ready to thaw it, keep it wrapped and let it thaw slowly in the fridge.
Other fruits can be swapped for the plums in this flan. Try making it with blueberries, cherries or apricots. Stone fruits and berries work best.
Related recipes
For some cool nutritional info on plums (they are FULL of antioxidants and so much more), check out the Swedish Institute NYC Instagram post on plums.
For more on what I'm cooking up, follow me on Instagram or Facebook and come on into my home and kitchen shop, West Coast Kitchen Garden!
ox Sabrina
Recipe
Easy Plum Flan
Ingredients
- 4 Large Eggs
- ¾ c Milk I used whole milk
- ½ c Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ c All Purpose Flour
- 2 c Plums, pitted and cut into ¼'s or ⅙'s
- Butter To grease pie plate
- Confectioners Sugar for Dusting Optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350' F and lightly butter a 9" heavy pie plate. (I use a Pyrex glass pie plate)
- In blender add eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and salt and blend well for 30-60 seconds.
- Add flour and blend again until smooth, 60 seconds, then pour into greased pie plate.
- Arrange the sliced plums over the top and bake in oven 25-30 min. Clafoutis will be lightly browned and should still have a slight jiggle in the middle.
- Let cool slightly and serve warm, sprinkled with confectioners sugar.If serving later, rewarm slightly before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Denise from Urb'n'Spice
This is such a lovely dessert, Sabrina and you captured it so beautifully with your photographs. Clafoutis is one of my favourite desserts to make with plums (or cherries). Thanks so much for sharing. I am so happy to meet you here on your website - I followed you on social media. 🙂
SabCurrie
Thank you so much Denise! 💜
Joss
I love how simple this dessert is, and plums are a favourite of mine.
SabCurrie
Thanks Joss 🙂 this is sooo simple and full of easy, basic pantry ingredients. Enjoy!
Leanne
I love eating plums just as they are, but baking with them is fun too! You can use them in so many pretty ways, including in this clafoutis! I've never made a clafoutis before but it seems straightforward and looks elegant, so I'll have to remember this one the next time we have a dinner gathering!
SabCurrie
This is a super easy dessert yet also elegant, a traditional French dish usually made with cherries. It takes barely any time investment and is a great return on your effort, I hope you try it and thanks for following along 💕
Elaine
Plums are often overlooked in favour of more popular fruit at this time of year, but they're oh-so-good and they're perfect in this recipe! Pinned.
SabCurrie
You’re right, they can be an underdog but I think they were made for baking! Or canning and then spooning over ice cream 💜 thanks for reading Elaine!
Nicoletta De Angelis Nardelli
Clafoutis has such a great texture, so thick and custardy and yummy. I've only had it with cherries, but I'm pretty sure it is delicious with every fruit, especially plums, which I love!!
SabCurrie
You’re so right Nicoletta, it is such a lovely texture and any stone fruit works really well in it. Thanks for reading:-)
Nina
I love plums but have never tried a clafoutis. This looks like such an easy and beautifully tasting dessert!
SabCurrie
Thank you Nina! And thanks for reading along 🙂
Lillian Tse
I love how quick it is to put this together. I guess the key is to get some good quality plums!
SabCurrie
Thanks for your comment Lillian! I agree on good quality but if plums (or other fruit) isn’t as sweet as you’d like, baking is a good way to amplify the flavor and sweetness, more forgiving than eating raw 🙂
Terri Gilson
I have never made clafoutis and I love that this one is quick and easy. Hopefully someone will give me a bag of plums too 🙂
SabCurrie
Haha, I’ll cross my fingers for you Terri! If you don’t get any plums, this works equally well with any stone fruit-cherries, peaches, apricots etc. Thanks for reading 🙂
Chef Dennis
I am so excited to try this French dessert! Your Clafoutis looks absolutely mouthwatering.
Mama Maggie's Kitchen
My mouth is watering. I want to eat that!
Sabrina Currie
Lol, thanks!
Audrey
I was nervous to try a French recipe but the instructions made it easy!
Sabrina Currie
Awesome Audrey, I’m so glad to hear 🙂
Deb
Mmmm I love plums especially the prune plums. Memories of childhood! I have to try this recipe. It sounds delicious.
Kayla DiMaggio
Love the idea of this plum clafoutis recipe! It was so delicious and light!
Sabrina Currie
Thanks Kayla, I really appreciate the feedback 🙂
Amy Roskelley
So delicious!! Thanks for the recipe.
Sabrina Currie
You're welcome, I'm so happy you liked it!