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BAKED PEACHES WITH ALMOND FILLING
Baked Peaches with Amaretti Filling
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
· 3 ripe yet firm yellow Freestone peaches, without soft spots or blemishes (See *Note)
· 4 tablespoons/60g sugar
· 6 tablespoons (1-1/3 ounces/38grams) finely ground blanched, peeled almonds
· 2 tablespoons melted butter/28g, plus more to grease baking dish
· Dry white wine, Dry Marsala, or Amaretto (I use Amaretto)
· Soft whipped cream to garnish (optional with a teaspoon or two of Triple Sec or other orange liqueur)
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Generously butter a 9-inch baking dish, preferably made of porcelain or glass.
1. Wash the peaches under cold, running water, and pat dry. Divide each peach in half lengthwise by using a sharp knife to cut along the natural crease of the fruit that runs from the stem dimple then continue around its circumference. Separate the peach halves by gently twisting them apart then remove and discard the pits.
2. Using a melon ball tool or teaspoon, hollow a round 1-inch cavity from the center of each peach half and scoop out the pulp, reserving it for the filling. Arrange the peach halves with cut sides up in the baking dish, placing them close together and leaning against one another so they don't tip during baking.
3. Pulse 1-1/3 ounces/38g blanched, peeled almonds with 1 tablespoon sugar in a food processor until very fine.
4. Chop the reserved peach pulp finely and place in a mixing bowl or small food processor. Add 4 tablespoons of the sugar, ground almonds, 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, and any peach juices that have accumulated on the cutting board, then mix well to combine.
5. Brush the surface of each peach lightly with Amaretto and remaining melted butter. Fill the hollow of each peach with about 1-tablespoon of the almond filling to form a neat mound about the size of a walnut in the center.
6. Place in the center of the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the peaches are tender when tested with the point of a paring knife and amaretti filling is lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature, plain or garnished with a dollop of lightly sweetened soft whipped cream.