How to make easy baked peaches dessert recipe

Today I made a deliciously simple dessert with peaches baked in the oven. Fabulous seasonal food, quick to make and stress-free. The peaches are dropping from the trees like rain and are being trampled underfoot before we can gather them up to eat, cook or freeze so when I was asked to bring a pudding to a lunch party, this recipe, given to me by my good friend Sue, sprang to mind. Since then baked peaches has been a favourite pudding at our guest house, Les Trois Chenes, in Limousin, S W France.

• Peaches
• Butter
• Chopped nuts
• Sugar (brown if possible)
• Fortified wine, sherry, brandy or whatever is to hand
  

How to prepare your peaches

Start by cutting all the peaches in half and take out the stones.

Don't remove the skins. This is La Cook Rustique! The skins are not tough and are good for you!

Lay the peaches cut side up in an oven-proof dish.

• Pour a little of your chosen wine or spirit into the centre of each peach. I have used Pineau, a local speciality from the Charente. Sherry or similar would do, and brandy is also be delicious.
• Sprinkle on the sugar
• Put a knob of butter onto each peach
• Sprinkle on the chopped nuts
• Put into a hot oven - I used Gas Mark 7 - for about half an hour
  

After half an hour give them a little prod with a fork, they should be absolutely tender.

Choose a pretty plate and then serve with ice cream, clotted or whipped cream, custard, yoghurt or any other topping you fancy.

You could also try putting the sugar on top at this point and melting under a grill to produce a brittle, crunchy topping.

The Limoges porcelain heart shaped dishes and colourful tablecloth are courtesy of our hostess, Sue.

• Try substituting amaretti buscuits, crumbled, for the nuts
• Use different spirits or cordials for flavour

Traditionally the hens and geese are kept in the orchards. The hens clean up all the pests, and the geese will happily gorge themselves on fruit. I love watching them eating up all the spoiled apples and peaches and, wickedly imagine them on the Christmas dinner table ready stuffed! At Les Trois Chenes our geese will see the winter through as tender-hearted son and husband don't fancy them served up on their plates.

I have only a few text books, preferring to use the library where possible, but there are a number of books that every cook, aspiring cook and foodie should have to hand. Jane Grigson's Fruit book is one of these. Full of excellent, down-to-earth and simple advice this book contains all you need to know about fruit. Order your copy now.