Buy Fresh, Local Peaches!
I love you, California, but your peaches don’t like to travel, particularly across country. Years of disappointment, spurred by my impatience to grab the first peaches I see in the supermarket, have finally taught me this lesson. Since I live in Massachusetts, I have to wait until the second half of July for decent local peaches to arrive. (I will often hedge my bets and fall for New Jersey peaches with pretty good luck!) Sometimes you can find good supermarket peaches imported from other states, but the only way to find out is to buy a few and try them out. If they’re good, go back for more.
With Peaches, Keep It Simple
After eating your fill of peaches on their own, start on the desserts. Since peaches are so juicy and sweet, and their season is so short, they deserve special treatment. And by that I mean, almost no treatment at all. Enter this rustic skillet dessert. Toss some sliced peaches (no need to peel them) in brown butter and brown sugar, infuse them with vanilla and almond extracts, and top them with meringue. After baking, the peaches soften slightly and release their juices. The meringue topping is slightly crisp on the outside but soft and marshmallowy on the inside. We all know the flavor combination of peaches and cream, but here, the sweet meringue plays off the tart peaches in a new way that lets the tart peaches shine. Be sure to have a bowl and a big spoon on hand to scoop up the soupy juice.
A Versatile Summer Dessert
But wait, there’s more! This is a great recipe to use all kinds of summer stone fruits: nectarines, plums, pluots or apricots, alone or in combination. Throw in some blueberries or raspberries if you have them. These are all great choices. In other words, this is a “fly by the seat of your pants” dessert. Its burnished cloud of meringue on top has a huge wow factor. A pretty good bang for a minimal amount of effort!
More Ways to Enjoy Summer Peaches!
Peach Galette Old Fashioned Peach Pie Peach Cobbler Skillet Peach Crisp with Pecans and Ginger Peach Blueberry Cake
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 tablespoons amaretto (almond liqueur), or 1 teaspoon pure almond extract 1/8 teaspoon salt 4 medium peaches, halved, pitted and thickly sliced (no need to peel) 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For the meringue topping:
4 large egg whites, at room temperature 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 cup sugar Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Immediately remove the pan from the heat. (If using a baking dish for this dessert, brown the butter in a small skillet and transfer it to the baking dish.)
Read more about how to brown butter and watch a video HERE.
Spread them in the pan and sprinkle with the cinnamon. Gradually increase the speed and slowly add the sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, until the meringue is thick and glossy and holds firm peaks. (This takes about 3 to 4 minutes.) Fold in the lemon zest. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown. It should be firm on top, but still soft in the center.
