Stimuli

Late summer is the time when beautiful, ripe peaches make their way to our tables from the orchards of the sunny Okanagan. Blush-coloured, fuzzy and heavy with juice, peaches are the ultimate summer fruit, almost bursting with sweetness. When summer temperatures soar, you can make this easy dessert on your barbecue to avoid heating up your kitchen, as I did here.



Slice up your peaches and sauté them in butter, brown sugar and rum. Leave the skin on if you like it. Spoon them, still warm, over creamy vanilla ice cream. The sugary rum sauce melts the ice cream, providing the perfect foil for the slightly spiced peaches. To change it up, serve the peaches and sauce over waffles or french toast for a decadent brunch.

Caramelized Peaches in Brown Sugar & Rum Sauce
Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

4 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup butter
6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons dark rum or bourbon
Vanilla ice cream

Method

In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add sugar and vanilla and stir until dissolved. Add peaches and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Add rum and cook until sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Spoon peaches and sauce over vanilla ice cream.

by Linda Horn

Visit her blog Let Them Eat Cake
 

Photo Credits: Robin Horn