Poached Peaches Recipes

VANILLA POACHED PEACHES

Steps:

• Put the kettle on, and fill a large bowl with iced water. Place the peaches in another large bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Leave for 30 secs, then remove the peaches with a slotted spoon and plunge them into the cold water. The skins should now peel away easily.
• Place the wine, honey and vanilla pod in a pan large enough to hold all the peaches, then gently heat until the honey has dissolved. Lower the peaches into the pan, cover and simmer gently for 15-20 mins until tender but not overly soft. Using two wooden spoons, turn the fruit 3 or 4 times while cooking and frequently baste with the syrup. Remove the cooked peaches from the pan and set to one side in a large bowl.
• Boil the syrup hard until it has reduced by half (this will take about 10 mins). Spoon over the peaches, then set aside to cool. The peaches will keep for up to 2 days, covered and in the fridge. Serve the peaches and syrup at room temperature, warm or chilled with spoonfuls of clotted cream, if you like.

MINTED POACHED PEACHES

Steps:

• Using a paring knife, lightly score an X into bottom of peaches (this will help with peeling later). In a large saucepan, combine sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, mint, and water. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.
• Add peaches and enough water to cover. Bring to a bare simmer, and cook, turning occasionally, until peaches are easily pierced with a skewer, 6 to 10 minutes, depending on ripeness of peaches.
• Remove peaches with a slotted spoon; let cool slightly. Using a paring knife, peel peaches; return to syrup. Serve with mint sprigs.

BOURBON-POACHED PEACHES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare an ice-water bath. Cut a small X into the bottom of each peach. Boil peaches for 1 minute.
• Transfer to ice-water bath. Let cool slightly. Peel and pit peaches, and cut into 3/4-inch-thick wedges.
• Bring 4 cups water, the sugar, and vanilla seeds and pods to a boil in a large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add peaches and bourbon. Simmer until peaches are tender but still hold their shape, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Transfer peaches to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Cook syrup over mediumheat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Pour over peaches. Let cool completely.
• Divide peaches among five 12-ounce sterilized jars using a slotted spoon. (Jars can be sterilized by boiling in water, submerged, for 10 minutes.) Pour syrup over tops. Add vanilla pods to jars if desired. Seal jars, and refrigerate until ready to use.

SPICED POACHED PEACHES

Steps:

• Score a cross shape in the bottom of each peach. Put the peaches into a large pot of boiling water, for 30 seconds, then transfer the peaches to a large bowl filled with cold water to refresh. Set aside for another 40 to 45 seconds, then drain the peaches, and peel using a sharp knife.
• Put the measured cold water, cinnamon, whole star anise, ginger slices, and sugar into a large saucepan, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture resembles syrup.
• Add the peaches to the syrup mixture, and cover them with a disk of greaseproof or parchment paper measuring the same diameter as the pan. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the peaches are cooked through (they will be soft when pricked with a knife.) Remove the peaches, and set aside on a warm plate. Continue to boil the syrup until its volume has reduced to about 1 cup. Set aside to cool.
• Brush the peaches with a little of the syrup. Stir half of the remaining syrup and the ground star anise into the Greek-style yogurt until well combined, adding more syrup as necessary, to taste.
• To serve, cut each of the spiced poached peaches in half and place 2 of the peach halves onto each of the serving plates. Spoon a portion of the star anise yogurt alongside each peach. Drizzle a little syrup over each peach. Sprinkle over the toasted almonds.

POACHED PEACHES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, 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 saucepan from heat, and let peaches cool in the poaching liquid. Using a slotted spoon, remove peaches from poaching liquid, peel, discarding skins. Slice peach halves into 6 wedges each. Transfer peaches and poaching liquid to a bowl. Cover; refrigerate until chilled.

POACHED PEACHES IN CHAMPAGNE

Steps:

• Make a very light incision all around peach skins.
• Plunge the peaches briefly into boiling water, then into cold water, and peel.
• Place in a shallow pan and douse with champagne.
• Add the syrup and vanilla bean.
• Bring to a slow boil over low heat, and poach peaches at about 185°F, but do not allow to boil.
• If peaches are very ripe, they will be poached after 5 minutes.
• Place peaches and syrup in a cool place, but do not refrigerate.
• Drain peaches, reserving the poaching liquid.
• Wash strawberries, remove any leaves, and purée in a blender or food processor.
• Place in a bowl and stir sugar into the purée.
• Stir romance whipped cream into the strawberry purée and add lemon juice.
• Serve on round plates, or in glass dishes or small bowls.
• Line the bottom of the dishes with strawberry cream and arrange the cooled, but not chilled, peaches on top.
• Garnish each peach with a mint sprig. Serve the chilled poaching liquid separately in a sauce boat.
• ROMANCE WHIPPED CREAM:.
• Using a wire whisk or electric mixer, beat heavy cream over ice cubes in a chilled mixing bowl, just until cream thickens. When peaks start to form, add sugar and vanilla. Then whip to the desired consistency.
• Yield: 1 1/4+ cups.

BRANDIED POACHED PEACHES

Steps:

• Bring sugar, orange juice, water, zest, and vanilla bean to a boil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add peaches, stem ends up. Cover pan and reduce heat, then poach peaches at a bare simmer 8 minutes. Turn peaches over and continue to poach, covered, until tender, 7 to 8 minutes more.
• Transfer peaches with a slotted spoon to a bowl or shallow dish to cool, reserving poaching liquid in saucepan. Lift out vanilla bean pod and scrape seeds into poaching liquid, then boil liquid until reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour syrup through a sieve into a small bowl or glass measure and cool. Stir in brandy (to taste).
• Peel peaches and serve whole with syrup.