It's So Hot...Drunken Roasted Peach Froyo Was a GOOD Choice
If you get the reference in that title, good job. If not, it's a quote from the movie Anchorman.
Basically July in Richmond is hotter'n the brass hinges of hell, so I decided to make something cool and refreshing. Plus, there's alcohol in it, so win-win! And not just any alcohol, my favorite kind: red wine. It's also peach season right now, and those little firey globes are aflush with yellow, orange, and red skins, just waiting for you to pick 'em and make this creamy froyo loaded with roasted deliciousness.
First start by slicing your peaches lengthwise and pitting them. I use the opposite end of my melon baller. This side is used to do melon decorations, but it works perfectly for sliding under the pit and slicing it out.
Then drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on a cookie sheet and place the peaches flesh side down. Put a little dollop of raw honey on each half and drizzle with some Chianti wine. Place the sheet in a 400 degree F oven and roast for 20-25 minutes.
They will look like this when done. The golden, velvet skins will have shriveled a bit and pulled away from the flesh, which is soft and charred on the edges. Let them cool for at least 20 minutes (explanation later).
Peach heaven.
Now for the additional drunken part of these drunken peaches. You'll want to make a Chianti caramel. I KNOW, RIGHT? No more words are necessary about how great that is.
Start by melting 1.5T butter in a pan with 4oz. of the Chianti (TayTip: 4oz is the liquid equivalent of 1/2c). Add 2T brown sugar and 2tsp of pure vanilla extract.
Then grate some fresh whole nutmeg into the pan. About 1tsp.
Cook over medium-high to high heat until boiling then remove from the heat immediately as the sugar can burn very quickly.
Now back to the cooled peaches. Toss them skins and charred parts and all into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
Will look like this when finished. (TayTip: at this point you could use the peach puree as a marinade or sauce for pork, chicken, or fish)
Then add your gorgeous, tawny caramel and blend until incorporated.
Now for the "yo" part, and the reason why the peaches had to cool. If you mix piping hot peaches with cold yogurt, it is going to separate. As in curds and whey, and I don't see Little Miss Muffet anywhere, so it's best to take your time with this one. Add 2.5 cups to the peach mixture and blend.
Pale and sunny.
The last thing to do is put it in a container in the freezer for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best. (TayTip: use the old yogurt container to store some of the froyo in the freezer)
The peaches are no longer sour because the roasting process eliminates most of the initial acidity, but they have this incredible depth of flavor. The Chianti is a dry red wine, but still very fruity, and melded with the molten brown sugar to create a caramel, it's just insane. The nutmeg doesn't really have a flavor comparable to anything else; it's incredibly nutty. If you've ever had eggnog or a béchamel, you know how great nutmeg is with cream. Top with strawberries, shaved dark chocolate or just enjoy this froyo on it's own. Cool down with this perfect treat for the sweltering later summer months! Buon Appetito!
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