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Drunken Peaches with Ginger-Infused Whipped Cream |
As a little girl, growing up in a large Italian-American family, I remember some of the "old timers" (as my pop used to call them) making good use of the peaches that came in during the last days of summer. Whether perfectly sun-kissed or overripe and bruised, all were welcomed at their tables.
They would peel the skins and cut the flesh into bite-sized pieces, taking care to remove any darkened or rotted areas from the imperfect fruits. Then they would place the pieces in a bowl, cover them with red wine, and chill the bowl for a few hours or even overnight.
They would peel the skins and cut the flesh into bite-sized pieces, taking care to remove any darkened or rotted areas from the imperfect fruits. Then they would place the pieces in a bowl, cover them with red wine, and chill the bowl for a few hours or even overnight.
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Orange blossom honey to be exact. And that’s my alternate recipe suggestion for you today. Toss those bite-sized peach pieces with a bit of honey, spoon them into a wine goblet, chill and serve with ginger-infused whipped cream.
Both of these simple but delicious recipes are below if you’d like them while the sun is still warm and the peaches are still cheap. La dolce vita!
Ingredients:
4 ripe yellow peaches
1 cup red wine * (see my note)
Directions: Peel the peaches and cut the flesh into bite-sized pieces. Place in a shallow bowl or plastic container and cover with wine. Toss to coat. Chill for several hours or overnight. Loosely strain the peaches of excess wine, and serve in glass goblets with dollops of whipped cream, or scoops of ice cream, or generous helpings of sweetened mascarpone or ricotta cheese. For my Ginger-Infused Whipped Cream recipe, scroll down.
*Note on the wine. My pop used to cover his peaches with a fairly dry, red table wine, one he made himself. I don’t make my own wine. For this recipe, I like a nice (cherry, oaky) Merlot. You should choose a red wine that you’d enjoy drinking.
4 ripe yellow peaches
4 tablespoons honey (I use orange blossom)
1 cup very cold heavy cream
3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar (to your taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions: Peel the peaches and cut the flesh into bite-sized pieces. Toss with honey to coat. Spoon into glass goblets and chill for 30 minutes to an hour (no more). Serve with a dollop of ginger-infused whipped cream.
4 tablespoons honey (I use orange blossom)
1 cup very cold heavy cream
3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar (to your taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions: Peel the peaches and cut the flesh into bite-sized pieces. Toss with honey to coat. Spoon into glass goblets and chill for 30 minutes to an hour (no more). Serve with a dollop of ginger-infused whipped cream.
To make the whipped cream, simply place the very cold heavy cream, sugar, and ginger into a chilled bowl* and beat with an electric mixer. The cream will thicken as you beat it. When it forms stiff peaks, you're done. Do not over-beat or you will begin to break the whipped cream down and (eventually) make butter!
*Tips: Using very cold cream along with a chilled bowl and beaters will give you the best results. Use a metal or Pyrex glass bowl (never plastic) and place it, along with your mixer's beaters, into the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes before whipping the cream.
*Tips: Using very cold cream along with a chilled bowl and beaters will give you the best results. Use a metal or Pyrex glass bowl (never plastic) and place it, along with your mixer's beaters, into the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes before whipping the cream.
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CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE.
If you'd like another easy yet elegant dessert idea, check out my past recipe for a simple Italian Honey-Glazed Peach Crostata. To see the above recipe with a free, downloadable PDF, click on the photo or here. And may you...
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