Peach Melba

This recipe is one which I tried almost 2 decades ago and then this weekend when I had some friends over for dinner. It turned out to be as much a stunner as it was many years ago! And I recently learnt of course through my favourite MasterChef Australia of the origins of the Peach Melba and of its creator, French Chef, Georges Auguste Escoffier. Peach Melba was made in honour of Nellie Melba, an Australian Operatic Soprano. You can read more of the origins of Peach Melba here

Cast/Characters:

Blanched and chopped Almonds

For the Peach Melba:
Peaches – quartered and deseeded or deseeded and served whole
Ice cream – preferably Vanilla

For the Prepared WhipCream in case you are not using fresh whipped cream:
 Cold Milk
Ready-made whip cream sachet

For the Melba Sauce: http://gginaflavorspalatte.blogspot.in/2012/05/melba-sauce.html

   
For the Whipped cream – made from scratch (Homemade): http://gginaflavorspalatte.blogspot.in/2012/05/homemade-whipped-cream.html

Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes| Preparation Time: 20 minutes| Serves 4 adults, 1 toddler

Method to blanch almonds:

Add boiling water to the almonds just about to cover the almonds. Leave it for a minute and drain immediately. Run under cold water and drain again. Pat dry, you will find that the skin slips off.  Do not let the almonds sit in the boiling water for too long or it will lose its crispness. You can add the almonds to caramelised sugar to add more flavour to the almonds.

Method to prepare Caramelised Sugar(optional):

Heat a skillet. When warm add granulated sugar about 1-1.5 cups and allow it to melt slightly stirring on a medium flame. Then turn to a low flame and add boiling water taking care not to splash or burn yourself. Stir well and you will find a golden brown translucent texture. Once slightly cooled, add the blanched almonds and take out immediately. It is best to do this process of caramelising and dipping of almonds just before plating up.

Assembling the Peach Melba dish:

      Place the peaches in individual glasses, top with ice cream. Top the glass with the cooled melba sauce, then the prepared whip cream or freshly prepared whipped cream and blanched(and caramalised) almonds. Serve immediately. You can also add a layer of jello above the whipped cream if you like. Bon Appetit. 

     

    My guests enjoyed this dish very much!

Layering the Peaches

Note: (other alternatives)

You can also poach the peaches (if fresh peaches are used), in the melba sauce and lay the poached peach in a bed of ice cream and melba sauce. (see the link image). The one I did was a simpler version of Escoffier's Peach Melba. If you see in the image provided in the link, the peach is served as a whole. What you could do is cut the peach in half, de-seed it and serve it as whole peach on a bed of vanilla ice cream, topped with Melba sauce. OR

Topped with Icecream and Melba Sauce

You could take some cold water in a sauce pan, add powdered sugar/castor sugar and add some vanilla extract or split vanilla pod(lengthwise) and mix well. Then add the peaches cut in half(deseeded -do not bruise the peach while deseeding or add it with the seed and later remove once cooled) and then bring it to a gentle simmer. Turn off and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Then remove the skin and/or the seed and add it on a bed of icecream, top with the Melba sauce and some of the poaching liquid.

Topped with blanched almonds