Pfirsich Melba

• 2 peach, washed
• 2 rum
• 70 g powdered sugar
• 4 vanilla ice cream, scoops
• 100 ml heavy cream
• ½ lemon, for juice
• 100 g frozen raspberries
• 50 g almond slivers
• 100 g sugar
• anise
• cinnamon
• 2 ginger, slices (or 3)
• mint
• vanilla sugar
• simple syrup

Preparation

1. Step 1

   0:24
   Combine sugar and water in a pot to make a light simple syrup (less sugar than a standard 1:1 ratio so it is not too sweet). Add the peaches so they will be covered, along with optional anise, cinnamon, and 2-3 slices of ginger. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer to poach the peaches.
2. Step 2

   1:17
   While the peaches poach, prepare the raspberry sauce. Add frozen raspberries, some powdered sugar, and lemon juice to a container and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in a small splash of rum (omit for children), then add 1 spoonful of the poaching syrup if the sauce is not fluid enough. Strain through a fine sieve to remove seeds, pressing well to extract all liquid without waste. The finished sauce should have a light body and nice sheen.
3. Step 3

   2:58
   Cut each peach crosswise around the pit (not along the natural seam) to avoid splitting the pit. Place peaches skin-side down into the simmering syrup and blanch 1 to 1.5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly in the syrup for about 10 minutes so the skins slip off easily and the peaches absorb the aromatics.
4. Step 4

   4:21
   While the peaches finish poaching and cooling in the syrup, toast the almond slivers in a dry pan until golden and fragrant. Add a small amount of powdered sugar and vanilla sugar toward the end to season them.
5. Step 5

   6:09
   Remove the peaches from the syrup and let them cool enough to handle. Peel off the skins. Select the nicest peach half for presentation, then cut it only partway through and open it slightly.
6. Step 6

   7:02
   Spoon a little raspberry sauce in the center of each serving plate and spread it with a swipe. Place the prepared peach half on the sauce. Add a small pile of toasted almond slivers where the ice cream will sit to slow melting. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle more raspberry sauce and heavy cream over the dessert, and garnish with a mint sprig.