There’s no disagreement that Peach Melba, an elegant dessert invented by Auguste Escoffier of poaches peaches, raspberry sauce, and vanilla ice cream needs no improvement. However, the addition of American-style shortcake transforms this classic to a modern day favorite perfect for any backyard BBQ.
Ingredients
- 2 homemade or store-bought shortcakes, slices in half or crumbled into big chunks
- 2 firm but ripe peaches, cut in half with pits removed
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- Half a vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 1 cup frozen raspberries, thawed
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Vanilla ice cream
Preparation
To poach peaches, combine equal parts sugar and water with vanilla bean in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and add peach halves. Cook peaches, turning occasionally, until a knife inserted into the center pierces easily. Allow peaches to cool in syrup. When peaches are cool enough to handle, remove skin and discard.
To make the raspberry sauce, add sugar to thawed raspberries and stir until sugar has dissolved.
To assemble dessert, arrange shortcake halves or chunks in a serving bowl. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Arrange poached peaches on top and spoon raspberry sauce over. Top with additional shortcake or shortcake pieces.
