As peaches come into the full bounty of their glorious summer harvest, I bask in them.
Occasionally, however, I get a bit carried away at the market and buy more than we can reasonably eat. In such cases, I seek inspiration for ways to use them, particularly as they threaten to pass optimal ripeness and risk going to waste.
These recipes fit the bill. The first, a sour cream peach cake, uses four sliced peaches and is divine topped with whipped cream for dessert or as a decadent breakfast with a cup of coffee. The second, the tart, presents a simple, sweet shortbread crust and crumble filled with homemade peach pie filling.
The latter was sitting in the backseat of my car, being transported home from the beach as a dessert for my dinner party that night, when I was stopped for speeding. I contemplated bribing the officer with the tart, but fortunately, I got off with a warning. I considered giving the tart in thanks, but cooler heads prevailed when I realized I was short on time (hence the speeding) and would be pressed to make another dessert for my guests.
I also learned a neat trick for peeling peaches from my pie-baking mom, which I share below. The method is a bit of a miracle; it removes the skin only and leaves the flesh intact without sacrificing any of the precious juice.
How to peel peaches quickly and thoroughly:
Step 1: Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil.
Step 2: Cut a small “X” in the bottom of each peach, just skin deep.
Step 3: Place the peaches in the boiling water for about 20 seconds. (Do not overcrowd the pot; I used a stockpot and six peaches were about capacity.)
Step 4: Remove the peaches from the pot and either let them cool if you are not in a rush or immerse them in ice water. Note: Some bakers require the ice bath, and if the recipe is intended to use fresh/raw peaches for flavor and texture, then the ice bath is needed. However, both recipes below cook the peaches — one baked in a cake and the other simmered into a pie filling — so to me that was just an extra step and another bowl to clean.
Step 5: Using your hands, peel the skin off the peaches; you may need a sharp knife to start the process.
Sour Cream Peach Cake | Dairy
A note on the pan: When I started researching these types of recipes, the equivalents were all baked in a square 8-inch-by-8-inch pan. But when I poured the batter in, it overflowed! So, I quickly moved it to an oblong pan; I used a 7-inch-by-11-inch Pyrex, but a 13-inch-by-9-inch would undoubtedly work; it would just cook for a bit less time and produce a slightly thinner cake.
2 cups cake flour or sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 peaches, peeled and chopped
Topping:
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 7-inch-by-11-inch pan with nonstick spray.
Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set it aside. In a larger bowl, beat the sugar and butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, continue beating, and then add the vanilla and sour cream.
Add the dry mixture, slowly mixing just until blended, and then add the peaches, folding them gently to avoid overmixing. Spread the batter in the greased pan and smooth the top.
Mix the topping ingredients and sprinkle them over the batter.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until the cake is done. (Use the toothpick test or press the cake gently in the center; it should spring back when done.)
Serve the cake warm or at room temperature topped with ice cream or whipped cream.
Peach Tart | Dairy
If you have surplus filling, save it to top ice cream or spoon over pound cake.
For the filling:
6 peaches, peeled and chopped
½ cup water (or more if needed)
½ cup sugar
Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the peaches soften, start to break down and release syrup. Watch it carefully; if all the water/juice evaporates, add more water.
Cook for about 10 minutes.
For the tart:
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 ¼ cups flour, plus more if needed
Peach pie filling
Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix the butter, flour and sugar in a large bowl until crumbly. Press two-thirds of the dough into a pie pan. If the dough is very sticky, sprinkle it with ¼ cup flour and press it gently into the pan and up the sides.
Fill the pan with the peach mixture. Crumble the remaining dough over the top; squeeze the dough into small bits in sizes varying from a pea to a grape. If the dough is too sticky, add flour to the mixture. Press gently over the peach mixture and bake for 40 minutes until the edges are lightly browning and the top is crisp to the touch.
Serve the tart topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
