RECIPE: Baked Peaches

At Cookery School we teach to empower so that everyone has the confidence to replicate recipes again and again at home. We also teach by principle – if you can understand how to bake fruit, you can make a whole range of different dishes using the same principle.

This recipe uses no sugar as the natural sugars in the peaches come out as the fruit is cooked.

Baked Peaches

Ingredients

Use at least 1 peach/nectarine per person
Water
Sauternes (optional) – peaches are delicious baked in Sauternes wine and this can be used instead of water or in addition to.

Method

1. Stone the peaches and place cut side down in a baking dish that is large enough to accommodate comfortably all the peaches. Alternatively slice the peaches into quarters or eighths and place in the baking dish.
2. Pour sufficient water into the dish to cover the bottom of the dish – about ¼” deep.
3. Place the dish high up in a very hot oven 230ºC/450ºF.
4. Allow to cook for about 20 minutes then remove dish from oven and turn peaches.
5. Return to oven and continue to cook for a further twenty minutes.
6. The water will evaporate during cooking and this will combine with the juice from the peaches to make a delicious sauce. If too much has evaporated, add a little more water.
7. Check to see whether the peaches are tender by inserting a skewer into one of the peaches.
8. If they need further cooking, return to oven. Continue this process until the peaches are tender and the tops are well browned. If a couple are a little on the almost burnt side this does not matter as it contributes to the taste.
9. Allow to cool and serve either at hot or at room temperature with a blob of marscapone. creme fraiche, yoghurt, vanilla ice cream or panna cotta.
10. If desired, the peaches can be flamed with brandy before serving or drizzled over with a favourite liqueur.

Category
Recipes