Peach Melba

Preparation

• 1
  1. Pour the water into a saucepan just big enough to accommodate 4 peaches, add the caster sugar, then heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. When it boils, turn it down to simmer for just a few minutes.
• 2
  2. With a sharp knife, cut a small deep cross at the top of each peach, then place them in the hot sugar syrup to poach on a low heat for 4-5 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the ripeness of the peaches
• 3
  you will see the skin begin to loosen slightly when they are ready, and you can test them with the point of the sharp knife to see if they are tender. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and leave them to cool on a plate, reserving the poaching liquid.
• 4
  3. To make the sauce, wash the raspberries and place them in a food processor or blender. Add the icing sugar and a small splash of the poaching liquid then blend thoroughly. After that, spoon the sauce into a fine meshed sieve and pass it through using a wooden spoon so that there are no pips or seeds left in the sauce. Taste it and adjust the sweetness if you need to
• 5
  I like it to be quite tart, so you might prefer a little more sugar.
• 6
  4. When the peaches have cooled, peel off the skin, cut each peach in half and remove the skin. To serve, place two halves of peach in each dish, spoon some raspberry sauce around them, add one or two scoops of vanilla ice cream beside the peaches and drizzle on a little more sauce.