With this recipe I am participating at the Fine Dining Lovers challenge “Why Waste”: an initiative to promote the use of leftover ingredients that - with some creativity and patience - can be transformed into a delicious dish.
Do you want to make something nice with the last peaches of the season? Then head to the link in bio for this easy dessert recipe. I called it “Peachello'' since it’s made with “peaches” poached in a little bit of “Limoncello”, the famous Italian lemon liqueur. I thought it was a cute name…I am not sure anymore as it is as funny as I thought but I still like it!
I used Limoncello but you can use rum or an orange based liqueur such as Cointreau…or no liquor at all!
The dessert is layered like a Tiramisu. A spongy base dipped in the syrup from the poached fruits, followed by a delicate mousse and topped with the deliciously cooked peaches…which are so good served with yogurt and nuts or simply on their own! So you can make a big batch and keep them in the fridge for a few days. They actually get better if left overnight, allowing the flavors to concentrate both in the fruit and the syrup created in the cooking process.
Equipments
Non-stick pan
Toaster oven/oven + baking tray
Hand mixer/whisk
2 big Mixing bowls
4 glasses/dessert bowls
Wooden spoon/spatula
Strainer
Pastry Piping bag (optional)
Ingredients
For the poached peaches
4 big ripe peaches (or 6 small ones)
2 tsp of honey
2 tsp of brown sugar
½ tsp of cinnamon
¼ cup of limoncello (optional but recommend it)
For the sponge base
3 slices of white bread
¼ cup of milk
1 tbsp of brown sugar
For the yogurt-honey mousse
1 cup of whipping cream
2 tbsp of honey
4 tbsp of Greek Yogurt
Method
Poached peaches
Peel the peaches and cut them in slices about ½ inch thick.
Place them in a non-stick pan. Add sugar and honey.
Turn the heat on medium and cover with a lid.
Cook for about 3 minutes, then remove the lid and gently stir the peaches with a wooden spoon or a spatula. At this point the honey and sugar should be melted. If not, cook for a couple of minutes more.
Now add the limoncello, cover with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes more, gently stirring from time to time.
Let the peaches rest and cool down before using them…or eating them! Place them in an airtight container in the fridge for at least one hour.
Sponge base
Preheat the oven to 390*.
Line the bread slices on a baking tray and brush them with milk.
Sprinkle a pinch of brown sugar on each slice.
Place the tray in the oven and toast for about 5 minutes. The surface of the bread needs to be slightly caramelized but not burnt.
Remove the tray from the oven and keep on the side to cool down.
Yogurt-honey mousse
Place a big bowl in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to chill.
Take the bowl out of the freezer and pour the cream and 1 tbsp of honey. Whip this mixture with a hand mixer (or by hand with a whisk) until the cream has become fluffy.
In another big bowl, add 4 tbsp of Greek Yogurt and 1 tbsp of honey. Mix gently.
Now gently fold in the whipped cream in the yogurt mixture, until you obtain a smooth consistency. Do not overmix because you might lose the fluffy consistency of the cream.
Place the mousse in the fridge while you get ready to layer the dessert.
Layering the dessert
Take the poached peaches out of the fridge.
Using a strainer, separate the peaches from their juice - which is now a delicious syrup that you need to save in a bowl.
Take the toasted bread slices and cut them in the shape and size of the base of your serving bowls/glasses. Don’t worry about cutting perfect shapes: you can cut/add a piece if necessary.
Pour some of the syrup in a small bowl. One at a time, dip the cut bread pieces in the syrup and place them at the base of the serving glasses/bowls.
Using a piping bag or a spoon, spread the yogurt mousse on top of the bread.
Now top with the poached peaches. To make the rose shape I made, simply start to place one slice on the edge of the bowl. Add a second slice starting from the middle of the first one. Keep going until you have covered the whole surface.
Place your beautiful desserts in the fridge and let rest for at least half an hour before serving them.
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NOTES
If you have leftover poached peaches, you can keep them in the fridge for up to a week and enjoy them with yogurt or by themselves.
If you only have leftover syrup, you can also keep it in the fridge for up to a week. You can swirl it on yogurt or, even better, vanilla ice-cream!
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