Honey Baked Peaches

When I picked out this recipe I thought "sure! this sounds simple enough." However, since I'm in the horrible habit of not reading through a recipe before I judge it, it was much more difficult than I had anticipated. It wasn't so much that it required any certain skill level... it was more of an experience thing. For example, I had never pitted a peach before. Wow. Let me just tell you, it's much more difficult than I had anticipated! However, I'll share a few of the things I tried which seemed to work. If you have any advice for my future endeavors, please share! I cut this recipe to one third of its size to serve 4.

This recipe was found on Food. 

Ingredients

10 ripe peaches

1 tbsp honey

½ cup almonds

1 tub mascarpone

¼ cup pouring cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup water

170g caster sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Slice peaches in half  (follow groove in peach) and remove stones. Use a spoon to help pry open the fruit, and microwaving for 10 seconds can also help. Place peaches cut side up on baking tray and drizzle with honey. Bake for 20 to 30 mins until softened.

2. While peaches are in the oven place almonds on second baking tray and place in oven for 5 -7 mins with peaches. When roasted, remove almonds and place onto clean baking tray lined with baking paper. Set aside.

3. While peaches and almonds are baking combine mascarpone, pouring cream and vanilla extract in small bowl and chill in fridge until required.

4. Place water and sugar in saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer, swirling pan intermittently (but do not stir!), until sugar has dissolved and mixture turns light-mid golden brown (approx 15 to 20 mins), then quickly remove from heat. Immediately pour hot toffee over roasted almonds, coating evenly. Leave praline to cool and harden. You can place your praline in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling. Place in food processor and blend to a mid-fine texture.

5. Remove peaches from oven and spoon praline into center stone holes of each peach half. Arrange 3 peach halves per plate and top with mascarpone cream.

 First of all, my almonds got a little over toasted. Instead of the 10 minutes the original recipe recommends, I would remove them after 5 to 7 minutes.

 I left the peaches in the oven after I turned off the heat to continue cooking and stay warm while I completed the remaining tasks.

Despite the overly toasty almonds this still turned out really well. It was crunchy, creamy and juicy and the almonds even added a bit of bitter to all of the sweet which was very interesting. I'm not sure I would do this recipe again, except the mascarpone cream which turned out to be absolutely amazing. I may have to invent some other dish to utilize it.

Enjoy!