Let’s Eat: Delicious desserts that are just peachy

By Heidi Sutton

Did you go peach picking this week?  Here are some perfectly peachy dessert recipe ideas that are sure to satisfy, courtesy of the Georgia Peach Council.

Fresh Peach Crostada

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

4 or 5 ripe peaches, sliced and pitted

¼ cup plain flour

1/3 cup sliced almonds

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup sugar

1 refrigerated pie crust

2 tablespoon peach preserves, melted

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, toss peaches, flour, almonds, and sugar. Lay crust flat on greased baking sheet and arrange peaches in center. Fold edges of crust so that they overlap edges of peaches. Brush peaches with melted preserves and top with pats of butter. Brush crust with melted butter to help with browning. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Fruit Cobbler

YIELD: Makes 12 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

4 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup self-rising flour

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup & 2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced

1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. Put butter in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish; bake until butter is melted. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, milk, 3/4 cup sugar, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, toss peaches, blueberries, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Pour batter into dish over melted butter, but do not stir. Spoon fruit over batter along with 1/2 cup fruit juice from bottom of bowl. (Discard any extra juice.) Do not stir; bake 25 minutes, or until crust browns.

Peach Cobbler

YIELD: Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

8 cups sliced Georgia peaches

2 cups sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

1/3 cup butter or margarine

Pastry for double-crust pie

Vanilla ice cream

DIRECTIONS:

Combine peaches, sugar, flour and nutmeg in a Dutch oven; set aside to allow syrup to form (approx. 15 minutes). Bring peach mixture to a boil: reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes or until peaches are tender. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and margarine.

Roll half of pastry to 1/8” thickness: cut into a circle to fit a two-quart baking dish. Spoon half of mixture into lightly buttered baking dish; top with pastry. Bake at 475°F for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon remaining peach mixture over baked pastry. Roll remaining pastry to 1/8” thickness and cut into 1” strips; arrange in lattice design over peaches. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes until browned. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream.