PEACHES WITH BOURBON SAUCE

With fresh summer fruit ripening on the counter, there’s always a fast, delicious dessert on the horizon.  This easy one is sophisticated enough for a dinner party, or a nice surprise for a weeknight supper for two.  Peaches never disappoint.  A good caramel sauce works to dress up all kinds of desserts—not hard to make but requires constant attention for the 10 minutes or so while cooking.  Serve warm, cool or at room temperature.  Recipe makes 4 servings.

• 4 peaches, peeled, halved and pits removed
• vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 4 tblsps butter
• ¼ cup bourbon

Unless your peaches are soft and dripping with ripeness, you’ll want to soften them a little for this dessert.  Put the peeled peach halves, cut side down, in a casserole dish.  Add 2 tblsp white wine.  Cover with foil and bake at 350’ for about 20 minutes—until peaches are fork tender.  Uncover and set aside. 

Caramel Sauce:

Combine sugar and water is small heavy saucepan.  Bring to a low boil, then gently swirl the mixture in a circular motion as it boils down—do not stir.  After about 10 minutes it should have a deep amber color.  Take the pan off the heat and turn burner down.  Very carefully, slowly whisk cream into sugar mixture—it may sputter a bit.  Then add the butter.  Return to low heat and stir until smooth.  Whisk in bourbon—then remove from heat and let cool.

Put 2 peach halves in each dish—spoon caramel sauce over fruit.  Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The Kitchen Hive