Chefs' Recipes

Emma McCaskill's white peaches with rosewater, honey and fromage blanc

The sweet flesh of ripe peaches takes centre-stage in this simple recipe.

  • 20 mins preparation plus chilling
  • Serves 4
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Ingredients

  • 100 gm caster sugar
  • 100 ml rosewater
  • 4 ripe white peaches, bases scored
  • 2 tbsp honey (preferably orange blossom; see note), or to taste
Vanilla fromage blanc
  • 375 ml (11⁄2 cups) pouring cream
  • 70 gm caster sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
  • 2 titanium-strength gelatine leaves, softened in cold water for 3-5 minutes
  • 350 gm fromage blanc (see note) or thick crème fraîche

Method

  • 1
    For vanilla fromage blanc, whisk half the cream to soft peaks and refrigerate until required. In a saucepan, bring remaining cream, sugar and vanilla bean and seeds to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Squeeze water from gelatine and whisk into hot cream (1-2 minutes). Cool to room temperature over a bowl of iced water (be careful not to chill it or it will begin to set). Remove vanilla bean, whisk in fromage blanc until smooth, then fold in whipped cream and refrigerate until softly set (30 minutes).
  • 2
    Combine sugar, rosewater and 1 litre of water in a saucepan that will fit the peaches snugly and bring to the boil. Add peaches and blanch until skins split (10-30 seconds, depending on the ripeness of the peaches). Remove peaches with a slotted spoon and refresh in iced water. Peel, then cut peaches in half and carefully remove stones.
  • 3
    Serve peaches topped with fromage blanc, a little syrup and a drizzle of honey.

Notes

Orange-blossom honey is available from select supermarkets. Fromage blanc is available from select delicatessens.