Peachy Keen

If you love peachy desserts, today's post is sure to please. Peaches, dessert...What's not to love?

To that end, here are six yummy peachy keen recipes, including Perfect Peach Pie and Brown Butter Peach Cupcakes. Enjoy!

EASY BUTTERMILK PEACH COBBLER

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yumminess, Melissa wrote, "This easy peach cobbler is made by layering ripe, juicy fruit over batter rather than nestling it under biscuits or pie dough, giving it a tender, cakelike texture. Browning the butter before merging it with the batter adds nutty, caramelized notes, while buttermilk gives it a lovely tang. Fresh summer peaches (or other stone fruit like nectarines, apricots and plums) are ideal here, but frozen fruit also works well. Serve this warm or at room temperature, preferably on the same day as baking."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 to 70 minutes; Total Time: 70 to 80 minutes

This was featured in "Peach Cobbler, 2 Ways: Spectacularly Simple and Simply Spectacular," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025843-easy-buttermilk-peach-cobbler.

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh peaches, pitted and sliced (peeling is optional), or 6 cups frozen peach slices

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar, more for sprinkling

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1-1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 to 1 teaspoon flavoring, such as freshly grated nutmeg, citrus zest, ground cinnamon, ginger or vanilla, or 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large (10- to 12-inch) well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat, combine the peaches, brown sugar and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and the liquid thickens slightly, 2 to 4 minutes. Pour peaches and liquid into a bowl and set aside. Taste a peach slice; if it seems flat, add another squeeze or two of lemon until bright and lively.

Using the same pan (you don’t need to wipe it out), melt the butter over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, and let it cook until it smells very nutty, turns golden brown and flecks of dark amber appear, 2 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and reserve the brown butter in the pan.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour in buttermilk and any flavorings you like, and mix just until combined.

Scrape the batter on top of the brown butter in the pan, but don’t mix it in. The butter will rise and cover some of the batter at the pan’s edges, and this is good. Scatter the peach slices and their juices on top of the batter without stirring. Sprinkle with a little more sugar if you like, for crunch.

Bake until the cobbler is golden brown on top, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SHORTCUT PEACH COBBLER

This is from Diana Rattray on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, “This peach cobbler has long been a popular way to make a cobbler quickly. This version is made with canned sliced peaches, and it's perfect for when you don't have time to peel and pit several peaches. Or when peaches aren't in season.

“The batter calls for self-rising flour, but if you don't have it you may substitute with 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of table salt.

“This is an excellent dessert to make on a busy day, and it's a popular cobbler in the South. Take it along to a summer cookout or potluck!”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Timie: 50 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yield: 1 9X13 pan (8 servings)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 stick (4 ounces) butter

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup milk (low-fat is fine)

1 large can (29 ounces) sliced peaches in heavy syrup

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 F.

Put the butter in a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan or a 2 1/2 to 3 quart baking dish and place it in the oven until the butter has melted.

Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl and stir to blend. Stir in the milk until well blended.

Take the pan out of the oven and pour the batter over the butter.

Spoon the peaches with syrup evenly over the batter.

Bake the peach cobbler for 45 to 55 minutes, until the topping is golden brown around the edges and lightly browned in the center.

BROWN BUTTER PEACH CUPCAKES

One of the email newsletters that I receive is from Delish. They find recipes from a variety of places; this comes from Chocolate With Grace, and starts, “Browned butter and peaches make these cupcakes with a tender, moist crumb perfect for summertime celebrations.” Serves: 18 cupcakes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

3/4 cup butter

1 cup peach puree*

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups finely diced peaches

For the Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup peach puree*

1 tsp vanilla

5-6 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove the butter from the heat and pour into a separate heat proof bowl to stop the browning. Cool completely.

Preheat oven to 325 F. Whisk together the brown butter, peach puree, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla. Beat in eggs. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Gently stir into the large bowl along with diced peaches, mixing until just combined.

Fill lined cupcake tins 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until the spring back when lightly touched. Cool completely on wire racks.

To make the frosting, beat together butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in peach puree and vanilla. Add enough of the powdered sugar until a piping or spreading consistency is reached. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

*To make Peach Puree, heat 3 cups of diced peaches, 1 T lemon juice, 1 T water and 1 T white sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool to a warm temperature. Blend in a blender until smooth. Cool completely before use.

PERFECT PEACH PIE

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Sam wrote, "Eat a perfect peach under the summer sun and you'll experience the fruit at its messy, dripping, sugar-bright best. Rinse your chin and understand that no melon, apricot or blackberry can compete. But how often does this happen? For most of us, a great and truly perfect peach is a rare event. We can expect but one or two a season, for all our trying. Enter the pie. A peach pie can elevate good peaches to excellence and great ones to the sublime. Even a peach pie made with frozen fruit is a terrific thing. The addition of sugar helps; so, too, do a dash of lemon juice and a light sprinkle of nutmeg, which offers a slight bitterness to offset the sweet. Add a crown of vanilla ice cream for a perfect diner-style à la mode effect."

Total Time: 2 hours; Yield: 6 to 8 servings

This was featured in "Each A Peach," and can be viewed online at >a href=https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017525-perfect-peach-pie>https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017525-perfect-peach-pie.

Also, check out Melissa Clark's guide, "How to Make a Pie Crust." Very helpful...

Finally, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Loads of great recipes (yes, like this one), great guides (see Melissa Clark's guide, above, as an example), and more...

Ingredients

For the Pie Dough

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Yolk of 1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/4 cup water, from 3/4 cup ice water

White of 1 egg, beaten

Pinch granulated sugar

For the Filling

6 or 7 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced, approximately 5 cups

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Preparation

Make the pie dough. Using your fingertips or the pulse function of a food processor, blend together the flour, butter and salt until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. There should be pebbles of butter throughout the mixture.

Add egg yolk and vinegar to 1/4 cup ice water, and stir to combine. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of this mixture over the dough, and gently stir or pulse to combine. Gather a golf-ball-size bit of dough, and squeeze to combine. If it does not hold together, add a little more of the liquid, and stir or pulse, then check again. Repeat as necessary.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gather together into a rough ball. Divide the ball in half with a knife or a pastry scraper, then divide each portion in half again, and again, to create 8 portions. Using the heel of your hand, flatten each portion of dough once or twice to expand the pebbles of butter, then gather the dough together again in one ball. Divide this ball in half.

Flatten each ball into a 5- or 6-inch disc, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap the discs in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425. Make the pie filling: Combine sliced peaches, lemon juice, sugar and flour in a large bowl, and gently mix to combine. Set aside.

Take the larger of the pastry discs out of the refrigerator, roll it out on a lightly floured surface and place in a 9-inch pie plate. Add the peaches. Sprinkle them with the ground nutmeg.

Roll out second disc of pastry. Place on top of filling. Wet edges of the bottom pastry disc with some cold water. Trim pastry, pinch bottom and top edges together and cut a few slits to allow steam to escape from the pie. Brush the egg white on the top, particularly around the edges, and sprinkle with a pinch of granulated sugar.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375. Cook until peaches bubble and pastry is golden, approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

PEACH PIE

If I remember right, this is from my mom, who loved a good peach pie.

Ingredients

4 C peaches, cut up

1 - 1-1/4 C sugar

3 T unbleached flour

dash salt

2 T butter

1 unbaked pie shell and lattice top

Directions

Arrange peaches in unbaked pie shell. Mix sugar, flour & salt. Sprinkle over peaches. Dot with butter. Cover with lattice top. Bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

GINGER-PEACH SORBET

This is from page 46 of the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times. The recipe states, “Fresh peaches, lightly cooked with a bit of sugar and fresh, spicy ginger, play double duty. Pulse the frozen cubes in the food processor with a splash of Prosecco and you have a light, flaky sorbet. Thaw the cubes, omit the prosecco, and use the mixture as a topper for ice cream or angel food cake.” Serves 6.

Ingredients:

6 very ripe medium peaches (3 lb.)

1/4 cup sugar

4-1/4-inch-thick coins fresh ginger

2 Tbs. lemon juice

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

6 Tbs. Prosecco or white wine

Directions:

Score X on bottom of each peach. Place in bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Remove skins and pits, and chop.

Bring peaches, sugar, ginger, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes, or until peaches are soft.

Remove ginger, transfer peach mixture to food processor, and blend until smooth. Cool.

Pour cooled sauce into 6 1/2-cup silicone molds or muffin pan cups. Press plastic wrap over surface of molds to seal out air. Freeze 4 hours, or until completely solid, then transfer to freezer bag to store.

To make sorbet: Pulse frozen cubes and Prosecco in food processor until smooth. Transfer to freezer-safe container, and freeze until ready to serve.

nutritional information Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 121; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: less than 1 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 25 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

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