White Peach Melba

Peach Melba is one of the most delicious summer puddings, although I personally make it with nectarines as their shiny skins keep the fruit plumper than peaches.   White peaches and nectarines are the very best of this delectable fruit, and far nicer than the standard yellow ones.   This is a very good last-minute pudding too - perfect for those summer evenings when you admit that, after all, a pudding is what you really wanted!

 White Peach Melba

Per person:

1 white peach or nectarine

1 generous scoop ice cream

1 good handful of raspberries (keep some for decoration)

1 tbsp raspberry jam or redcurrant jelly

Halve the peaches/nectarines and ladle gently into a wide pan of simmering water.  Poach for a short time, and then lift them out of the water and put onto a plate to drain and cool.  They should now peel easily, and any sunblush on the skin of the nectarine will have transferred itself to the fruit.   

To make the ice cream, see my “Basic Vanilla Ice Cream” recipe below.  Bought ice cream is fine, if you are desperate!

For the sauce, take the raspberries (which don’t have to be perfect, and can be frozen) and simmer them gently with the jam or jelly until the juice has just started to flow and the jam or jelly has melted.  Sieve the sauce to remove any pips. 

To assemble, place the nectarine/peach in the base of an ice cream coupe or goblet, add the ice cream, then pour the warm sauce over.  Eat immediately.  

Basic Vanilla Ice Cream – this makes a 1 litre tub

2 egg yolks

250cc (9fl oz) full cream milk

150cc (6floz) cream (I usually change these quantities over and use double cream)

80g caster sugar

1/2tsp vanilla

Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together in a food processor, add the milk and cream and blast in the processor until they are all mixed together.      Pour into an ice cream maker and churn until thick.