Saturday 9 June 2007

Recipe: Peaches in Pistachio Cream



For three:

Ingredients: 2 medium-sized ripe peaches; 2 Eggs Plus 2 Egg Whites: 100g Pistachios; half a teaspoon of Almond Essence; half a cup of sugar (or sweetener); two and a half tablespoons of Flour; 1 oz of Butter, melted; 8 fl oz Milk; 3 tablespoons of Demarara Sugar.

Method:

1. Quarter, stone and peel the peaches. Then cut each quarter into thin slices and layer these over the base of three greased individual gratin dishes. Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees C.

2. Make a Creme with the whole Eggs, 1/4 cup of Sugar, Flour, and Milk: heat the milk in a double boiler, while you whisk together the eggs and sugar, so that they become light yellow and leave a tail behind the whisk; stir the Flour into the Egg & Sugar mixture, then mix in a little of the heated Milk, before adding the remainder of the Milk. Stir to incorporate thoroughly, then return to the double boiler and cook, stirring from time to time, until thickened (this might take ten minutes or so).

3. Shell the pistachios, then blanch them three minutes in boiling water. Once blanched, rinse them in cold water, and slip the loosened skins off each shell.

4. Place the pistachios in a blender and process well, then add the Creme, the melted Butter, and the Almond Essence. Blend again, to mix everything together, and remove to a mixing bowl.

5. Whisk the Egg Whites until stiff, then add the remaining Sugar and continue to whisk for a further minute. Fold this meringue mixture into the Creme, and then divide the Creme between the three gratin dishes, making sure it entirely covers the layer of peaches.

5. Sprinkle a spoonful of Demarara over each dish, before placing them in the pre-heated oven for five minutes. After five minutes, turn the grill on to 'high' and leave the dishes under the grill for just long enough until the tops become brown and bubbling and caramelised.

Serve straight from the oven.

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