Poached Peaches Melba with Raspberry Sauce
Known in French as Pêches Melba, this French bistro classic is a cup-held dessert of syrup-poached peaches served atop vanilla ice cream, all doused with a sweet raspberry coulis. It’s a breeze to recreate at home, and is naturally best made at the height of summer, when peaches are at their sweetest, juiciest peak. Think of Pêches Melba as France’s version of peaches and cream—but with that little extra je ne sais quoi. The Origin of this Dessert This Classic French dessert of Pêches Melba was invented in 1892 in London…
- Prep time
- 2 hr
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 4 ripe peaches
- For the Poaching Syrup:
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) white sugar
- 3 cups (750ml) water
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
- For the Raspberry Coulis:
- 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen, well drained)
- 2 tablespoons (15g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
- To Assemble: 1 large tub vanilla ice cream
- Optional: 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- Optional: 4 fresh basil leaves, for garnish.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1 - Peel the Peaches
- 2
Bring a heavy pot of water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Cut a small “X” into the bottom of each peach with a sharp knife. Immerse the peaches in the boiling water for 30 seconds, then immediately use a slotted spoon to transfer the peaches to the ice bath to stop the cooking.
- 3
Transfer peaches to a cutting board and gently pull off the skins, starting from the “X” you cut. If the skin doesn’t come off easily, use a knife to help. Once peeled, cut the peaches in halves or quarters, discarding the pits. Set aside.
- 4
Step 2 - Poach the Peaches
- 5
Combine the sugar and water in a shallow frying pan or large saucepan. Halve the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the pan (or add the vanilla extract). Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
- 6
Add the peaches, then bring the syrup to a slight simmer and reduce the heat. Cover and let simmer for 5–6 minutes, occasionally basting the peaches with the syrup with a spoon. Turn the peaches over and continue to poach until very tender, so that they can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 5 to 6 minutes more.
- 7
Turn off the heat and let the peaches cool in their poaching liquid in the pan, uncovered, for 1 hour.
- 8
Step 3 - Make the Raspberry Coulis
- 9
While the peaches are cooling, puree the raspberries in a blender. Optional: pass the raspberry purée through a fine mesh strainer to discard the small seeds. Transfer the puree to a bowl.
- 10
Immediately stir in the powdered sugar and lemon juice into the raspberry purée and whisk vigorously to make sure no lumps were formed.
- 11
Step 4 - To Serve:
- 12
Distribute the peaches evenly into four individual serving bowls. Top with one or two scoops of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with raspberry coulis.
- 13
Optional: Sprinkle each bowl with a few slivered almonds and garnish with a fresh basil leaf.