This dinner party recipe is sure to impress your guests, it’s a great summer dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 peaches, stoned, peeled, halved and poached in sugar syrup
- 4 raspberry meringues, in ‘kiss’ shapes (ingredients and method below)
- 1 qty of vanilla cream (ingredients and method below)
- 4 shortbread fingers (ingredients and method below)
- Raspberry coulis
- Freeze dried raspberries, optional
Method
- Follow the recipes below for the component parts above.
- Handle the peaches with great care, as they will be soft. Fill each half with the vanilla cream.
- To assemble the peach melba:
Spoon a tablespoon of coulis on each plate (off centre),
Place the filled peach on top,
Top with a meringue kiss,
Finally, add the shortbread and top with dried raspberries (if using)
Raspberry Meringue
You will need the following ingredients:
- 250g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 175ml egg whites
- Red food colouring
To make the meringues:
- Preheat oven 120°c
- Line some baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add the egg whites and mix.
- Use an electric whisk over hot water to whip the whites until stiff.
- Brush thin lines of food colouring from top to bottom of the piping bag, then reverse the bag.
- Place a large plain nozzle into the piping bag then fill with the meringue. Pipe onto the prepared sheets in a ‘kiss’ shape.
- Put the tray into the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until set, then reduce the temperature to 80°c and cook until dry.
Vanilla Cream
You will need the following ingredients:
- 100g Mascarpone
- 100g Whipping cream
- 1 tsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 20g caster sugar, approximately
To make the vanilla cream:
1. Place the mascarpone into a bowl and beat well. In a separate bowl whip the cream. Combine the two creams.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and beat again.
White Pepper’s Top Tip – the vanilla cream should be quite soft – add extra milk if necessary.
Shortbread Finger
You will need the following ingredients:
- 150 butter
- 75 sugar
- 132 plain flour
- 132 cornflour
- Caster sugar, for dusting
To make the shortbread finger:
- Preheat oven 160°c
- Cream the butter and sugar until white and fluffy.
- Slowly incorporate the 2 flours – mix to a firm dough is formed.
- Wrap and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Roll to approximately 20mm thick and cut neat fingers.
- Place onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and bake slowly until slightly coloured on the base.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 seconds, then transfer immediately onto a plate of caster sugar.
- Remove to a cooling rack. Use as required.
If you need any help or top tips, feel free to ask us in the comments below!