PROSECCO POACHED PEACHES WITH AMARETTI
THIS is a lovely way to make the most of peaches in season as well as the ‘ripen at home’ peaches on sale at supermarkets. Served here with amaretti biscuits and an optional amaretto cream. Serves 4
● 6 peaches ● 1 orange
● 325g (1 1½oz) golden caster sugar ● 750ml (1¼pt) Prosecco ● 1 vanilla pod
FOR THE AMARETTI
● 85g (3oz) icing sugar ● 85g (3oz) ground almonds ● 1 egg white ● 2 tsp amaretto liqueur
AMARETTO CREAM (OPTIONAL)
● 1 tbsp amaretto liqueur ● 100ml (3½fl oz) crème fraîche ● Icing sugar, to taste Heat the oven to 180c/fan 160c/gas mark 4. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking parchment. Cut the peaches in half vertically and remove the stones. Finely pare the zest from the orange and squeeze the juice. Put the sugar into a saucepan with the Prosecco, orange zest and juice. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally. Split the vanilla pod in half lengthways and add to the pan. Add the peaches to the pan and cover with a slightly dampened disc of greaseproof paper to keep the fruit immersed and hold in the steam. Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer for ten to 25 minutes, or until the peaches are just tender. Once tender, remove the pan from the heat and leave the peaches in the syrup to cool. When cool enough to handle, lift them out of the syrup and peel away the skins, then return the peaches to the syrup to finish cooling. Meanwhile, to make the amaretti, sift the icing sugar and ground almonds together into a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg white to stiff peaks then carefully fold in the sugar and almond mixture, followed by the amaretto. Place teaspoonfuls of the mixture on the prepared baking tray, at least 3cm apart to allow for spreading. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and leave on the tray for five minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. For the amaretto cream, if serving, stir the amaretto into the creme fraiche and sweeten with icing sugar to taste. Serve the poached peaches with their syrup, the amaretti and the amaretto cream.