Featured Recipe
Honey Ginger Roasted Peaches
By Kate
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Peaches halved and roasted in a honey infusion with lemon and ginger slices. Served warm with vanilla ice cream and crunchy biscotti bits. The honey simmers gently, carrying aromatic ginger and bright lemon notes. Peaches soften but hold shape, their skins slightly caramelizing. Quick to assemble, relying on visual softness and syrup thickness over exact timings. Balanced sweetness with citrus snap and warming spice. Easily swaps out lemon for orange and ginger for cardamom. Great for late summer fruit desserts with contrasting textures and temperatures.
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Prep:
20 min
Cook:
30 min
Total:
50 min
Serves:
4 servings
dessert
summer fruit
easy recipes
Introduction
Peaches roasting in honey and ginger. Aromas sharp but mellow. Orange slices bring natural sweetness; ginger throws subtle heat. Oven set just right — 185 °C. Not too hot to scorch honey, slow enough to soften peaches without turning to mush. Syrup bubbles golden, thickens around fruit halves, skins slightly puckered but intact. Ice cream waits, melting into warm pockets. Crunch comes from crusty amaretto shards, earthy and nutty. Timing isn’t exact. Watch, listen, smell. Crackle of bubbling syrup, aroma of warmed ginger with citrus oils. Fruit gives a little under finger pressure, juices run sticky. Swap lemon for orange for sweeter citrus punch. If fresh ginger runs out, cardamom or ground cinnamon hits notes differently but still good. Peaches too firm? Score skins lightly. Soften quickly if overripe; check. Honey simmers gently for 12 minutes before adding fruit. Avoid boiling aggressively or honey will burn bitter. Roasting roughly 25-30 minutes. Guaranteed sensory cues guide finish. This is about control, timing, and subtle balance. Not fussy but not careless.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Honey quantity tweaked up for thicker syrup and stronger glaze. Orange replaces lemon to soften acidity and bring sweeter citrus depth. Ginger length slightly shortened for balance — more can overpower the delicate peach. Peaches reduced to 6 halves to keep roasting pan less crowded, ensuring even caramelization instead of steaming. Crushed amaretto cookies swapped in for store-bought biscotti to introduce a complementary almond note. Vanilla ice cream kept standard but can be swapped for mascarpone or whipped cream depending on the desired texture and richness. If fresh ginger’s unavailable, use ¼ tsp ground cardamom or a pinch of cinnamon with caution; these warm spices shift the flavor profile noticeably but keep it interesting. Pay attention to peach ripeness to avoid mushy results. Overripe cooks faster; underripe may need minor skin scoring for even cooking.
Method
Technique Tips
Preheat oven properly with rack centered to promote even heat. Slow syrup simmer for 12 minutes critical to infuse ginger and citrus oils fully without burning honey sugars. Adding peaches after this step means fruit absorbs flavor during roasting without overcooking in boiling liquid. Roasting time adjusted slightly longer for thicker syrup and softer peaches but watch carefully last 5 minutes to stop before skin dries out. Visual checks better than strict timers: look for peach flesh softening and browning edges, syrup bubbling with golden gloss. Avoid common trap: boiling honey too hard at start burns flavor; maintain gentle bubble. Serving with melting vanilla ice cream adds richness and temp contrast. Crushed nut cookies bring necessary crunch and bite to round out mouthfeel. Leftover syrup can be spooned over yogurt or pancakes next day. If syrup looks too runny after roasting, remove peaches and reduce syrup a bit more on stove, then pour back over fruit before serving. Good knife skills help maintain peach halves intact through halving and pitting stages. Efficiency tip: infuse honey while prepping peaches to save time.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use firm peaches. Overripe can collapse too quickly. If underripe, consider scoring the skin for quick heat penetration. Roasting times may vary. Monitor closely; glance at skins for browning.
- 💡 Honey simmers gentle, heat control essential. Pour gently into sauce, don’t rush. Aromas evoke cooking magic. Add orange and ginger; clarify flavors. Watch bubbles; listen for crackle signs, slow syrup watch.
- 💡 Alternative fruits? Plums or nectarines work if peaches aren’t in season. Same technique; adjust sweetness as needed. Consider textural contrasts. Cookie options? Almond or walnut bits, even granola for crunch.
- 💡 Syrup too thin? Remove peaches after ~20 minutes, simmer syrup longer on low, then return. Want more acidity? Try an extra orange slice or zest in syrup. Citrus oils boost aroma significantly.
- 💡 Check for doneness; look at syrup. Should cling to peaches. If too thick once cooled, warm gently to loosen. Ice cream can be changed; mascarpone or whipped need more richness and creaminess.
