A delicious dessert doesn’t need to be complicated. These Baked Peaches (with almonds if you like) are baked with a bit of maple syrup, brown sugar and butter, which mixes with the fruit’s natural syrup as they are warmed. Top with ice cream, whipped cream, or nothing at all.
- 4 ripe, firm peaches (1-1/2 lb)
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1-1/2 tbsp. light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, broken into pieces
- 1/3 cup whole unbalanced almonds (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Using a sharp paring knife, cut the unpeeled peaches in half, and remove the pits. Arrange the peaches cut side down in one layer in a gratin dish. Add the water, maple syrup, brown sugar, butter and almonds.
Place the gratin dish on a cookie tray , and place the tray in a 350-degree oven for 40 minutes. Turn the peach halves so they are skin side down and cook them for another 15 minutes. (at this point, the juice around the peaches should be syrupy.)
Turn the peaches carefully in the syrup so they are skin side up again, and cool them to room temperature. Serve two peach halves per person with some of the syrup.
Source: Encore with Claudine, by Jacques Pepin. 1998
