Fall is in the air. But can we squeeze just a little more out of summer? Let’s try with this classic, easy recipe for my take on grilled peaches and cream.
The other evening, my friends and I went to play trivia. It was outside, and by the end of the night, we were all wrapped in blankets and sweatshirts that we managed to scavenge from our cars, in slight disbelief that we were shivering in our shorts on a mid-August night. With evenings dropping into the fifties, cozy season is right around the corner.
I’m not mad about it but the end of August always brings with it a little sadness since it also marks the end of peach and berry seasons. While I love me some berries, peaches are my absolute favorite and the good ones (you know, the ones that drip juice all over the front of your shirt) are only around a few weeks a year – so we gotta savor them while we can.
Because we are coming to the end of those few weeks, today’s peaches needed a little help. Therefore, I slathered a little butter on them and threw them on the grill (or in my case, my grill pan). Topped with some homemade pastry cream (because I just couldn’t get enough from the lemon cream cake a few weeks ago) and some honeyed walnuts – I’m again breaking my rule that I don’t like to eat fruit for dessert.
What do I need to make grilled peaches and cream?
- Peaches, obviously. And some butter to juice ’em up.
- For the pastry cream; milk, sugar, cornstarch, eggs, butter and vanilla. Basic.
- For the walnuts; nuts, butter, honey and salt. Keeping it simple.
My friends are all shaking their heads and rolling their eyes and they read this- knowing that I break my rule on this subject more than I’d like to admit to myself. Whatevs.
The pastry cream does take a few hours to set, so plan ahead so that when snack time rolls around, you’ve got it all handled in 15 minutes or less.
Grilled peaches and cream
Ingredients
- 4 peaches halved and pitted
- 2 TB unsalted butter melted
For the pastry cream
- 1 cup milk whole or 2%
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ TB cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 1 TB unsalted butter cubed
For the walnuts
- 2 TB unsalted butter
- 4 TB honey
- 1 cup walnut halves
- pinch salt
Instructions
Make the pastry cream
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the milk. Bring to temperature where the milk has scalded- just before boiling. Remove from heat.
- In a separate bowl, add the egg, yolk and sugar. Beat together one minute. Add the cornstarch and salt and beat another 4.
- Temper the eggs by adding approximately 1/4 cup of the hot milk to the egg mixture, beating the entire time- this will bring the eggs up to temperature and avoid having them scramble. Slowly add the rest of the milk and mix well.
- Return the mixture to the milk saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until pastry cream begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Once it thickens begins to bubble, whisk for one more minute.
- Remove from heat and add in the butter and vanilla and beat constantly until the butter has melted and all is smooth. Transfer mixture to a cool bowl and cover with plastic wrap- letting the plastic touch the top of the cream (to avoid a skin). Refrigerate 3-4 hours.
Make the walnuts
- Preheat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, walnuts, honey and salt. Stir constantly until the walnuts become toasty and the whole mixture is caramelized. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Grill the peaches
- Heat the grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat.
- Brush each peach half with melted butter. Add to the grill, butter/cut side down and cook about 10 minutes until the peaches have softened and have a nice char mark on them.
- Divide the peaches into four bowls. Top with 1/4 of the pastry cream and drizzle with the warmed honey walnuts. Serve immediately.
