Peach Melba Mountain Recipes

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

PEACH MELBA

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, prepare syrup.
• Bring sugar, water, lemon juice and zest to a boil.
• Lower to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
• Poach peaches until tender.
• Let them cool in the syrup.
• To prepare the raspberry sauce, in a blender combine raspberries, sugar and lemon juice.
• Process to a puree.
• Remove fruits from syrup.
• To serve, in a small bowl place a scoop of vanilla ice cream, place the fruit on top and cover with raspberry sauce.
• Garnish with whipped cream and toasted almonds.
• For Apricot Melba, use 12 ripe, firm apricots, pitted and halved (no need to skin).

PEACH MELBA JAM

Steps:

• Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Fill boiling-water canner half full with water; add jars and water to cover. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. Place lids in water to cover in a small saucepan; bring water to a simmer. Simmer until ready to use. Remove and drain jars and lids, one at a time, as needed for filling.
• Place raspberries in food processor; process until smooth. Press mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl, reserving pulp; discard seeds. Measure exactly 3/4 cup pulp; set aside.
• Combine 4 quarts water and 1/2 cup lemon juice in a large bowl; set aside. Fill a Dutch oven 3/4 full with water; bring to a boil. Immerse peaches for 20 seconds or until skins easily peel away; remove with slotted spoon and plunge into ice water. Slip skin off peaches using a paring knife. Cut peaches in half; remove pits. Place peach halves in the water and lemon juice solution to prevent browning; drain. Cut peaches into chunks; place in food processor. Process in batches until finely chopped. Measure exactly 4 cups of fruit.
• Combine peaches, raspberry pulp, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and pectin in a large saucepan; stir to mix well. Let stand for 10 minutes.
• Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) over medium-high heat. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add SPLENDA, stirring until it dissolves. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle hot jam immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4-inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on rack in canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil.
• Process 10 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing center of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.) Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Once opened, store refrigerated and use within 2 weeks.
• If using a pectin product with separate pectin and calcium packets, follow the package directions to mix calcium water. Use 5 teaspoons pectin powder and 4 teaspoons calcium water. Follow package directions for preparing recipe.