Peach Melba Mountain Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S PEACH MELBA

Steps:

• Combine raspberries, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, water, and balsamic vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until sugar dissolves and berries collapse, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and strain into a bowl. Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
• Combine 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and split vanilla bean in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Place peach halves with cut sides up in the syrup and simmer until tender, 5 to 8 minutes per side, basting with the syrup occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool in the syrup. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 4 hours.
• Remove peach skins and serve each peach half on top of a scoop of ice cream in a bowl. Spoon the raspberry sauce over the top. Garnish with toasted, slivered almonds.

PEACH MELBA

Steps:

• Put the water, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla pod into a wide saucepan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Bring the pan to the boil and let it bubble away for about 5 minutes, then turn the heat down to a fast simmer.
• Cut the peaches in half, and if the stones come out easily then remove them, if not then you can get them out later. Poach the peach halves in the sugar syrup for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side depending on the ripeness of the fruit. Test the cut side with the sharp point of a knife to see if they are soft, and then remove them to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• When all the peaches are poached, peel off their skins and let them cool (then you can remove any remaining stones). If you are making them a day in advance then let the poaching syrup cool and then pour into a dish with the peaches. Otherwise just bag up the syrup and freeze it for the next time you poach peaches.
• To make the raspberry sauce, liquidize the raspberries, confectioners' sugar, and lemon juice in a blender or a food processor. Sieve to remove the pits and pour the puree into a jug.
• To assemble the Peach Melba, allow 2 peach halves per person and sit them on each plate alongside a scoop or 2 of ice cream. Spoon the raspberry sauce over each.

PEACH MELBA SPLIT

Steps:

• Toss the raspberries and raspberry jam in a medium bowl and let stand 20 minutes at room temperature.
• Slice or quarter the peaches, depending on their size, divide among 4 dessert bowls and sprinkle the sugar over the tops. Let sit until they get a little juicy, about 15 minutes, turning them over once or twice.
• To serve, put one scoop of frozen yogurt on top of the peaches. Spoon some raspberries over each scoop. Top each with 1 tablespoon of crushed cookies. Serve immediately.

CLASSIC FRENCH PEACH MELBA

Steps:

• Using a deep, wide skillet, heat 1 1/4 cups sugar and 2 cups water to boiling.
• After sugar dissolves, add peaches in a single layer. Reduce heat to just under simmering and poach, covered, for 5 minutes.
• Using tongs or a slotted spoon, gently turn all the peaches over, cover, and continue poaching for 3 minutes.
• Remove skillet from heat and allow peaches to sit in hot syrup for an additional 4 minutes.
• Stir in vanilla extract. Chill peaches in syrup for at least 1 hour.
• Push raspberries and juice from thawing, through a fine-mesh sieve, and then discard seeds and solids; set aside. Bring 1/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil for 2 minutes and remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and zest . Stir simple syrup (sugar mixture) into a seedless raspberry puree and chill for 30 minutes.
• Layer peaches and raspberries over ice cream in frosted dishes and serve.
• Enjoy.

NOT-SO-CLASSIC PEACH MELBA

Steps:

• Make the raspberry sauce: Put 1 cup raspberries and 2 tablespoons sugar in a blender and whiz to liquify. Pour through a fine-meshed strainer and into a medium bowl. Keep cool.
• Using a paring knife, peel and halve the peaches. Slice the halves into half-moon pieces about 3/8-inch thick. Transfer to a bowl. Add 2 teaspoons sugar and a few drops of lemon juice to taste. Toss to coat.
• To serve, arrange peach slices in the bottom of 6 dessert bowls. Top each serving with a scoop or 2 of vanilla ice cream. Splash raspberry sauce over each portion. Garnish with a few raspberries if you wish.

EASY PEACH MELBA DESSERT

Steps:

• Drain peaches, reserving syrup. Set aside two peaches and 1 tablespoon syrup (refrigerate remaining peaches and syrup for another use). , Place each sponge cake on a plate; drizzle with reserved syrup. Top with ice cream and a peach half. , In a small saucepan, heat jam until melted; drizzle over peaches. Top with nuts if desired. Serve immediately.

PEACH MELBA

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Add lemon juice and peaches. Simmer until peaches are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand until room temperature. Carefully remove skins from peaches, and discard. Transfer to a bowl, and refrigerate until chilled.
• Place raspberries in a fine sieve set over a small bowl. Using a rubber spatula, pressing on the raspberries to extract as much juice as possible; discarding solids. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to raspberry juice, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Serve chilled peaches with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce.

PEACH MELBA

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Reduce heat to low. Place peach halves cut side up in pan; cook for 5-8 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat. Cool peaches in syrup for 30 minutes. , Remove peaches with a slotted spoon and place cut side down in a shallow dish. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or until chilled., In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat raspberry jam for 20 seconds; stir until smooth. Place peach halves cut side up in dessert dishes. Top with ice cream; drizzle with jam.

QUICK PEACH MELBA

Steps:

• Pour schnapps in a microwave-safe pan or pie plate large enough to hold peach halves in a single layer. Place peaches, cut side down in pan. Microwave on high Pour schnapps in a microwave-safe pie plate large enough to hold all peach halves in a single layer. Place peaches cut side down in pan. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Turn peaches over and microwave about 2 minutes longer, until the fruit is tender when poked with a sharp knife. Let peaches cool, then peel. Refrigerate. for 3 minutes.
• Transfer jam to a microwave-safe measuring cup; microwave on high 1 to 2 minutes until partially melted. In a food processor, puree jam and raspberries. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl; strain sauce to remove seeds, pressing with a rubber spatula. Discard seeds. Refrigerate.
• Put 1/2 cup ice cream in each of eight shallow bowls, then a peach half, 2 Tbs. sauce and 1 Tb. almonds. Serve.

PEACH MELBA BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 250 degrees. Cut a sheet of parchment paper to fit a baking sheet. Turn over an 8-inch-diameter metal bowl on parchment paper, and trace the perimeter of the bowl; place the parchment on the baking sheet, pencil side down, and set aside. Fit a 12-inch pastry bag with a 1/2-inch-wide open-star tip, and set aside.
• Place 2 egg whites in the clean bowl of an electric mixer. Beat the whites until soft peaks form. Slowly pour in 1/2 cup superfine sugar. Continue to beat until stiff and shiny. Transfer to prepared pastry bag. Pipe a spiral of meringue starting in the center of the circle and finishing just inside the pencil mark. Bake meringue disk until dry, making sure not to let it brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool completely.
• While meringue is baking, line the metal bowl with plastic wrap so the plastic hangs over the edges. Fill the bowl with peach sorbet, making a deep well in the center, and press to make it smooth. Fold over the plastic wrap to cover the top, and freeze until hard, about 30 minutes.
• When peach sorbet has hardened, fill well with raspberry sorbet; press to make a smooth top. Cover again with plastic wrap; return to the freezer until ready to serve.
• Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Cut peaches in half, and remove pits. Arrange peach halves, cut side up, in a baking dish. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, and dot with butter. Bake until browned and tender, about 25 minutes, brushing occasionally with butter and juices. Allow to cool while finishing meringue, then cut in half.
• Just before serving, prepare meringue for the top. Prepare a 16-inch pastry bag with the same open-star tip. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Place the 6 remaining egg whites in the clean bowl of the electric mixer, and beat until soft peaks form. Slowly add remaining 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar; continue to beat until very stiff and shiny, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to prepared pastry bag.
• Place meringue disk on ovenproof serving platter. Remove sorbet from freezer; uncover top. Warm sides of bowl with hands until sorbet comes out by pulling plastic wrap. Gently invert sorbet onto meringue disk. Quickly pipe meringue over dome. Place in oven until top of meringue just starts to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately with roasted peaches.

PEACH MELBA POTS

Steps:

• Put the mascarpone, yogurt, sugar, ground cloves and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Using a balloon whisk, beat until smooth. Pour in the cream and whisk again until the mixture just holds its shape - you want it to be soft and pillowy, so be careful not to take it too far.
• Put a little jam in the bottom of 6 small glasses or pots, top with some of the cream mixture, then 4 peach slices and more jam. Follow this with another layer of the cream, a drizzle of jam and finally the raspberries. Can be chilled for up to 5 hrs. Scatter over the hazelnuts and serve with biscotti or amaretti biscuits on the side.