Wine Poached Peaches With Ice Cream Food

WHITE PEACH AND BOURBON VANILLA ICE-CREAM

Steps:

• Place the water and sugar in a large saucepan over high heat, bring to the boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the peaches, cover with a round of non-stick baking paper and weigh down with a small plate to submerge. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15-20 minutes or until soft. Drain the peaches, reserving the syrup. Allow to cool slightly before peeling. Refrigerate half the peaches for 1-2 hours or until cold. Cut the remaining peaches in half, discarding the stones, and place in a food processor. Process until smooth and refrigerate until cold.
• Place the milk, cream and vanilla in a medium saucepan over high heat and stir until just boiling. Remove from the heat and set aside. Place the egg yolks and extra sugar in a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Gradually pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking to combine. Return the mixture to the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes or until the custard is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until cold.
• Add the bourbon and the peach puree to the custard and whisk to combine. Pour into a metal (not glass) brownie pan. Freeze for 8 hours or overnight until set.
• Cut the ice-cream into squares. In batches, place the squares in the cleaned food processor and process until smooth. Return the mixture to the tin and freeze for 1 hour or until firm.
• Scoop the ice-cream into serving bowls. Drizzle with the reserved peach syrup and sprinkle with the amaretti. Serve with the whole poached peaches.

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.

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.

PEACHES AND PORT

Steps:

• Slice peaches and place in a bowl. Sprinkle peaches with sugar and add 4 jiggers of good port wine. Toss peaches in wine to coat and let stand 15 minutes. Spoon peaches into dessert dishes and top with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

POACHED PEACHES IN SPARKLING WINE WITH BASIL & VANILLA

Steps:

• Put the vanilla pods, seeds and sugar in a saucepan with 200ml water and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Once boiling, drop in the basil and peaches. Poach for 2-3 mins until just tender, then put a lid on the pan and leave the peaches to cool in the syrup.
• Once cool, pour in the sparkling wine and leave for 10 mins. While the poached fruit is soaking up the wine, beat the vanilla, mascarpone and cream together to soft peaks. Serve the peaches in a bowl with plenty of the liquid. Finish with a spoonful of the cream and a few basil leaves.

PEACHES POACHED IN WHITE WINE

Steps:

• Cut orange and lemon half into thin slices and remove the pits.
• Place the peaches in a single layer in a casserole. Add the water, wine, sugar and vanilla pod and cover with the orange and lemon slices. The liquid should barely cover the fruit.
• Cut a round of wax paper the same size as the casserole and make a small hole in the middle. Bring the fruit to a boil, then skim any foam that rises to the surface.
• Lower the heat so one single bubble breaks at the top, then place the wax paper over the top and simmer for approximately 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the peaches cool in the syrup.
• Remove the peaches from the syrup with a slotted spoon. Slip off their skins. Place the peaches in a glass bowl and top with the orange and lemon slices. Strain the syrup over the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least six hours.