Peach Melba

By maredan

Ingredients

• Vanilla Cake
• 1/2 * 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 * 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 * 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 * 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 * 2 eggs
• Raspberry Coulis
• 2 * 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed
• 1/2 * 1/2 cup gooseberry or other jelly (see note)
• Assembly
• 3 * 3 fresh peaches, halved and pitted
• * Vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 * 1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Directions
Vanilla Cake

1. With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter and flour 6 large muffin cups or 8 medium muffin cups. (If choosing the latter option, you’ll need four peaches.)
2. In a bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter with the sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs, one by one, and beat until the mixture is smooth. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients.
4. Scrape the batter into the muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 17 minutes.
5. Unmould and cool on a rack.

Raspberry Coulis

1. In a blender, purée the raspberries and jelly. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.

Note
For the raspberry coulis, replace the jelly with 75 ml (1/3 cup) sugar, adding water as necessary to make a smooth purée.

Assembly

1. Preheat the grill, setting the burners to high.
2. Grill the peaches cut side down for about 3 minutes. Let cool.
3. Place 3 small balls of ice cream, each about 15 ml (1 tablespoon), on each cake. Balance a peach half, grilled side up, on top. Drizzle with raspberry coulis and garnish with fresh raspberries.

Tip

For a simpler dessert, leave out the cake and garnish the peach with sweetened, vanilla-flavoured whipped cream.