by Susan Hanna
This delicious dessert from Ina Garten’s Modern Comfort Food would be a great ending to a dinner party or Easter brunch. Marinate peach wedges in Grand Marnier while you whip up a batter and add dry ingredients. Place the batter in a springform pan, top with peaches, sugar and almonds and bake for about 50 minutes. Cook’s note: I used Cointreau instead of Grand Marnier and brown sugar instead of raw sugar.
Serves 6.
Avoiding Additives and Preservatives
Make sure the butter contains only milk or cream, with no added preservatives or colour. Use pure vanilla and almond extracts. No Name sliced almonds are additive-free. For more recipes using all-natural ingredients, visit Eye For a Recipe.
Ingredients:
- ¾ lb (340 g) ripe peaches, unpeeled, cut into 8-10 wedges (2 large peaches)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) Grand Marnier
- ¼ lb (113 g/1 stick) of unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (187.5 ml) sugar
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) almond extract
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) kosher salt
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) raw sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) blanched, sliced almonds
- Confectioners’ sugar
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). Grease an 8-inch (20-cm) springform pan, set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the peaches with the Grand Marnier. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for two minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the vanilla, almond extract and eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Stir with a rubber spatula.
- Pour mixture into prepared springform pan, smoothing the top. Gently press the peaches in concentric circles into the top of the batter. Sprinkle peaches with the raw sugar and almonds.
- Bake about 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool slightly, dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
From Modern Comfort Food
