Peaches and Cream

FROM OUR KITCHEN

"Festive, fun and fruity, this dessert plays on the classic Christmas trifle and the wonderful summer combination of peaches and cream. The rosemary and Campari adds a lovely festive feel, too. Have fun with the plating and assembly. The dessert is gorgeous layering the sponge, cream and poached peaches but if you’re feeling a little extra, our peach jelly is a wonderful addition. You can also double the sponge recipe if you’d like to add an extra layer, or are in need of a larger dessert which let’s be honest, is often the case around this time of year!"

Peach Jelly A Little Extra Christmas Dessert

Recipe, photography and introduction by Harriet Davidson

INGREDIENTS

SPONGE

75g caster sugar
2 eggs
Finely grated rind of half an orange 50g plain flour
25g cornflour
1/2 tsp baking powder
20g melted butter

CREAM

300ml cream 250g mascarpone 2 tbsp castor sugar Zest of one orange

PEACHES AND JELLY

375ml peach nectar
3 soft peaches, halved
2 sprigs rosemary
2 tbsp castor sugar
2 tbsp Campari
Juice and zest of one orange

4 leaves gelatine

Christmas Dessert Peaches, Campari and Cream Trifle

Christmas Sweet Fresh Peaches with Cream, Campari and Jelly

METHOD

Starting with the jelly, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine peach nectar, chopped peaches, rosemary, sugar, Campari, orange juice and zest. Bring to the boil before turning down and let simmer for 10-15 minutes for flavours to combine. Remove from heat, strain, reserving peach halves for serving. Return liquid to saucepan. Meanwhile, soak gelatine leaves in cold water for three minutes. Squeeze the water out of the leaves and add to saucepan. Simmer on a low heat stirring until gelatine leaves are completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour into 20cm cake tin and let set for six hours, or overnight.

For the sponge preheat oven to 180C. Butter a 22cm diameter cake tins, line base with baking paper and dust with flour. Whisk caster sugar, eggs, orange rind and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer until pale and tripled in volume (5-7 minutes). Sieve in flour, cornflour and baking powder, fold to combine, then fold in butter. Pour batter into prepared tin, smooth the top and bake until golden brown and centres spring back when lightly pressed (8-10 minutes). Cool in tins for 10 minutes, then cool completely on wire racks.

For the cream, whip cream in a cake mixer, adding in orange zest and castor sugar, before adding in mascarpone to combine well.

To assemble, place sponge in Medium Styleware bowl – you may need to trim the sponge ever-so-slightly using a serrated knife around the edges. Use a spatula to smooth the cream over the top. Sprinkle the zest of half an orange over the cream before topping with pieces of half the jelly – you can opt to keep the jelly in a full layer but pieces of jelly add a lovely texture and look. Add peach halves on top before topping with remaining jelly, a sprinkle of fresh rosemary leaves, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Use a spoon to serve, making sure you get all of the layers.

Seen here in our Blush Medium and Extra Small Nesting Bowls, with our Blush Salad Set.

All other props stylists own.