Caramelized Peaches and Cream with Brown Sugar Syrup

All of last week I was daydreaming about soft fresh peach slices nestled between thick layers of vanilla ice cream. As a reward to myself for finally getting over a month-long summer cold, I decided to dive into indulgence.

Peaches are everywhere this time of year but once I got to the store, all I could find were extremely firm ones – not at all the ripe fruit with yielding flesh of my dreams (mmm... that sounds a bit naughty, yes?). So I modified my dessert daydream of fresh peach slices to caramelized ones, which actually turned out even more scrumptious ladled hot just out of the pan onto cold ice cream and drizzled with brown sugar syrup.  For a slightly healthier version of this, substitute vanilla honey yogurt for the ice cream (recipe follows).

Caramelized Peaches and Cream with Brown Sugar Syrup

Makes 2 generous servings

Ingredients:

4 very firm peaches (don't use ripe, soft ones ready to eat, as they will simply fall apart before caramelizing)

1/2 c golden brown sugar

3 tbsp butter

Vanilla ice cream

1.   Peel the skin and slice each peach into eighths.

2.   On a plate, coat each slice with brown sugar.

3.   Melt the butter on a skillet over medium high heat

4.   Once melted, place peach slices onto the skillet.

5.   When sizzling, lower the heat to medium-low and cover for 3-5 minutes until the peach juices and butter start bubbling and thicken to a syrupy consistency.

6.   While the peaches are still cooking, take a large spoon and start spooning out all the liquid onto a cup. This lovely peachy concoction will serve as your brown sugar syrup.

7.   Once all the liquid has been reserved, turn the heat back up to medium and brown both sides of the peach slices.

8.   While browning, prepare your scoops of ice cream on dishes. Once the peaches are done, place on top of the ice cream, drizzle with your brown sugar syrup and prepare to be transported to peach heaven!

Healthier version

Follow steps 1-7, above.

8.   Allow the peach slices to cool for about 10 minutes (I know, hard!) before layering with vanilla honey yogurt (see below) as a parfait . If straight out of the pan, the yogurt will turn into soup.

Vanilla Honey Yogurt

16 oz. plain Greek yogurt

1 tbsp of vanilla

2 tbsp of honey

Mix all ingredients well until well combined.  Put back in the fridge to set and cool for about 15 minutes before eating with dessert.