Peach Melba
Peach Melba is the perfect summer dessert. With fresh poached peaches topped with a vibrant raspberry Melba sauce and ice cream, it couldn’t be easier to make or more delicious.
Peach Melba is one of the easiest summer desserts you and your kids could possibly make. With poached peaches topped with vanilla ice cream and Melba (raspberry) sauce, its not only simple but delicious. If you’re looking for a great make ahead summer dessert, look no further.
What is peach Melba?
Peach Melba is a simple dessert made of soft peaches, vanilla ice cream and a raspberry sauce.
The dessert was invented in the late 19th Century by the French chef Auguste Escoffier and is named after the operatic soprano Nellie Melba. Melba was at a dinner party to celebrate her success performing in Wagner’s opera Lohengrin at Covent Garden where Escoffier presented her with a dish of peaches and ice cream topped with an ice swan. It wasn’t until a few years later when Escoffier was working at the Ritz Carlton in London that he added the raspberry puree topping.
Can I use tinned peaches?
Of course. Out of season, or if you just can’t find any peaches you can opt to use a tin of peaches instead. There’s no need to poach the peaches if you’re using tinned ones, so simply skip to the instructions on how to make the Melba sauce.
For this recipe I think peach halves in syrup are probably nicest.
Should I use fresh of frozen raspberries?
You can use either fresh or frozen raspberries to make this dish. Frozen raspberries are frozen when they are at their ripe-est so often have the best flavour, especially if you’re making this out of season so I wouldn’t hesitate before using them. Just make sure you defrost them before you puree and sieve them.
If you have a glut of raspberries during the summer however, this is a delicious yet simple way of using them up.
Can I make this ahead of time?
The peaches and sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept in airtight containers in the fridge. The best way to keep the peaches is in the poaching liquid.
You can reuse the poaching liquid if you save it. Store it in the fridge for a few days or the freezer for up to three months. Be sure to defrost it fully before using it.
Similar recipes
If you’ve got more tinned or fresh peaches to use up you might like our other peach filled recipes. Or why not try one of our other delicious desserts.
Peach crumble
Peach cupcakes
Peach trifle
Peach cobbler
Apple crumble
Eve’s pudding (Apple sponge pudding)
Key lime pie
Banana upside down cake
Strawberry crumble
Mary Berry’s lemon meringue pie
Lemon tartlets
Cornflake tart
Useful equipment
Digital scales
Measuring cups
Saucepan
Slotted spoon
Ice cream scoop
Hand blender
Sieve
Glass dishes
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the peaches
750ml water
500g caster sugar
4 peaches
8 scoops vanilla ice cream
For the Melba sauce
250g raspberries
4 tablespoons icing sugar
Raspberries to decorate (optional)
How to make peach Melba
Poach the peaches
Add the water and caster sugar to a small pot and bring to the boil. Leave the water/sugar mixture to simmer for around 5 minutes until you have a syrup.
Cut the peaches in half (this is a job for grown ups, or older children who can safely use a sharp knife.) If the stones are easy to remove take them out at this point, but if they don’t come out easily leave them in for now.
Add the peaches to the pan of syrup and poach them for a 2-3 minutes on each side. If you need to, you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan.
The peaches are ready when they feel a little soft. You can get your kids to use a fork to test them. If your peaches are already quite ripe they’ll need less time than a very hard unripe peach.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the peaches from the syrup, leave them to cool for a few minutes or pop them in a bowl of ice cold water to cool them down faster.
Peel the skins off and remove any stones. Slice the peaches then leave them to cool completely while you make the sauce.
Make the Melba sauce
Start by getting your kids to measure out the raspberries then puree them with a hand blender.
Push the raspberries through a sieve into a bowl placed underneath to remove the seeds.
Add the icing sugar and stir it in.
Serve the peach Melba
Get your kids to arrange the peach slices into 4 glass serving dishes. Add two scoops of ice cream to each.
Finally, spoon or pour over some raspberry sauce and add a few raspberries on top to decorate.
Serve and enjoy.
Peach Melba
Ingredients
Method
- Add the water and caster sugar to a small pot and bring to the boil. Leave the water/sugar mixture to simmer for around 5 minutes until you have a syrup.
- Cut the peaches in half. If the stones are easy to remove take them out at this point, but if they don't come out easily leave them in for now.Add the peaches to the pan of syrup and poach them for a 2-3 minutes on each side. They're ready when they feel a little soft.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the peaches from the syrup, leave them to cool for a few minutes then peel the skins off and remove any stones. Slice the peaches then leave them to cool completely while you make the sauce.
- Measure out the raspberries then puree them with a hand blender.Push the raspberries through a sieve into a bowl placed underneath to remove the seeds.Add the icing sugar and stir it in.
- Arrange the peach slices into 4 glass serving dishes. Add two scoops of ice cream to each.
- Finally, spoon or pour over some raspberry sauce and add a few raspberries on top to decorate.
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