Peach Melba

Tomorrow is National Peach Melba day – a great way to use any fresh or frozen peaches you have and it’s delicious!!

melba

What is Peach Melba?

Peach Melba is a delicious dessert of vanilla ice cream topped with poached peaches and a flavorful raspberry sauce.

This dessert was created in the 1890s at the Savoy Hotel in London. Chef Auguste Escoffier created this dish in honor of an Australian opera singer, Nellie Melba. Originally called “Pecheau Cygne” (French for peach swan), it was served in an ice bowl shaped like a swan and topped with beautiful spun sugar lace. This wonderful sundae is new celebrated all over the world.

Sounds pretty good, huh? Bet you’re thinking it’s really going to be difficult to make. Surprise!! It is probably the simplest “fancy” dessert you’ll ever make!

This dish requires 7 ingredients and vanilla ice cream to put it all over. Peaches, sugar, vanilla bean and water for the poached peaches. Fresh raspberries, powdered sugar and some lemon juice make the sauce.

You can make the two components in advance and put them together at serving. And to make it beautiful at serving, a bright herb like mint or basil garnishes it.

Ready to get started?

Poaching the Peaches

Place the sugar, vanilla bean and water into a medium saucepan. Boil the mixture for about 5 minutes to start creating a syrup.

Reduce the heat to low. Carefully place the peaches into the water and poach for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

 NOTE: Some recipes call for peach halves, some for slices. I used eighths here.

Also, fresh peaches are the best, but this time of year, frozen are more likely sweeter. I used peaches I froze this summer. DO NOT use canned peaches. They will turn to mush. 

Making the sauce

Fresh raspberries are really important. The freshness really comes through.

Place the berries, powdered sugar and lemon juice in a food processor and puree the mixture.

Make it as liquid as possible. Strain it to remove the seeds. A food sieve will work faster. I used a mesh basket and it took a very, very long time!! And I had to scrape the bottom to get all the fruit puree into the sauce.

Melba

Place the liquid in a jar or glass bowl and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Putting the Peach Melba together

This is the easy part.

Put a large scoop of ice cream into a bowl. An ice swan would be nice.

Lay some poached peaches around the ice cream and top with a generous portion of raspberry sauce.

Garnish with torn up mint or basil and a couple fresh berries.

melba

Serve immediately. And it’s amazing!

5 from 9 votes
Melba
Peach Melba

Delicious poached peaches with vanilla ice cream and topped with fresh raspberry sauce

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, British, Frensh
Keyword: fresh peaches, ice cream, peach, raspberries, sundae, vanilla
Servings: 4 servings
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
Poached Peaches
  • 1 cup water
  • 1-1/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1 whole vanilla bean, split down the middle
  • 4 large peaches - pitted and cut (halves, quarters or eighths)
Raspberry Sauce
  • 1-1/2 cup fresh raspberries
  • 3 Tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
The Sundae
  • 3 cups high quality vanilla ice cream
  • basil or mint for garnish
Instructions
Poaching the Peaches
  1. Place the sugar, vanilla bean and water into a medium saucepan. Boil the mixture for about 5 minutes to start creating a syrup.

  2. Reduce the heat to low. Carefully place the peaches into the water and poach for about 2 to 3 minutes.

  3. Remove from the heat and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Raspberry Sauce
  1. Place the berries, powdered sugar and lemon juice in a food processor and puree the mixture. Make it as liquid as possible.

  2. Strain it to remove the seeds. A food sieve will work faster. I used a mesh basket and it took a very, very long time!! And I had to scrape the bottom to get all the fruit puree into the sauce. 

  3. Place the liquid in a jar or glass bowl and refrigerate at least 3 hours. 

Making the Sundae
  1. Put a large scoop of ice cream into a bowl. An ice swan would be nice.

  2. Lay some poached peaches around the ice cream and top with a generous portion of raspberry sauce.

  3. Garnish with torn up mint or basil.

  4. Serve immediately. And it's amazing!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Some recipes call for peach halves, some for slices. I used slices here.

Also, fresh peaches are the best, but this time of year, frozen are more likely sweeter. I used peaches I froze this summer. DO NOT use canned peaches. They will turn to mush. 

Fresh raspberries are really important. The freshness really comes through.

 

© Copyright 2024 The Lazy Gastronome

© Copyright 2024 The Lazy Gastronome

Leave me a comment – I’d love to hear your thoughts!

This entry was posted in Fruits and Vegetables, Peaches, Raspberries, Sundaes, Sweet Treats and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

19 Responses to Peach Melba

  1. Liz says:

    5 stars
    I love this combination of fruit!!! This dessert is both beautiful and delicious!!!

  2. Angela says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is the perfect combination of summer flavors. Yum!

  3. Amy says:

    5 stars
    Such a great recipe. Didn’t last very long at our dinner table!

  4. Amy Liu Dong says:

    5 stars
    Wow! This treat looks incredibly delicious and very healthy! Everybody gonna love and enjoy eating this!

  5. Andréa says:

    5 stars
    A delicious golden oldy!

  6. Swathi says:

    5 stars
    Peach Melba looks delicious perfect dessert.

  7. Jenna says:

    I could eat this for breakfast! Sounds so good!

  8. angie says:

    oh so yummy my granddaughter loves fruit I believe this is one recipe I will have to try thanks for sharing
    come see us at http://shopannies.blogspot.com

  9. Lisa says:

    5 stars
    This sounds so good.

  10. I love the peach-raspberry combination. This looks wonderful. Pinning to save and share! Visiting from the Dare to Share linkup. (I’d love to see you share this post at my linkup also, if you’d like: https://lifetalesbooks.blogspot.com/p/calling-fellow-bloggers.html It just opened this morning.)

  11. Nicole NK says:

    5 stars
    Loved the flavors here. Will be making again!!

  12. Elizabeth says:

    5 stars
    So decadent! Loved the peach flavor.

  13. Paula Short says:

    Helen, this sounds amazing. I can virtually taste this.
    Visiting today from Funtastic Friday #125,126&127.

  14. Superb peaches on icecream – a favorite for sure
    Thanks so much for participating and sharing at SSPS 293. See you again next week!

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