Pêche Royale dans Son Panier Fleuri
These “royal” peaches are served with Grand Marnier sabayon, resting in small edible baskets. Candied flowers are used for garnish. As easy as these baskets are to make, you could use them to serve peas as a side dish just as well as for dessert.
Ingredients
- Pate a Choux
- Water - 2 cups
- Unsalted Butter - 1 cup
- Pinch of salt
- Flour - 1-1/2 cups
- Eggs - 6 to 8, depending on size
- Sabayon
- Egg Yolks - 3
- Sugar - 1/4 cup
- Grand Marnier - 2 ounces
- Warm Water - 2 tablespoons
- Baskets
- Flour - 1/2 cup
- Sugar - 1/4 cup
- Eggs - 2
- Milk - 1/2 cup
- Oil for frying
- Ripe peaches - 2
- Thick Chocolate Icing - 1 cup
- Genoise Cake - four, 3-inch thin circles
- Candied edible flowers, such as violets or marigold petals
Instructions
To prepare the pate a choux: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Boil the water with the butter and salt. Add the flour all at once and beat vigorously until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Off the heat, beat in the eggs, one or two at a time, until incorporated. The dough should be smooth. Put the dough in a pastry bag fitted with a medium smooth tip and pipe 2-inch-diameter semi-circles on the parchment. Bake about 12 minutes, until puffed and golden brown; remove and let cool to set.
To make the sabayon: Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in the top of a double boiler until they are light and lemon colored. Whisk in the Grand Marnier. Put the pan over the bottom portion of the double boiler, with simmering water, and whisk until the mixture thickens slightly. Add the warm water in a slow stream and whisk to form a smooth, light-yellow sauce. Set aside over tepid water, or in an insulated container.
To make the baskets: Put the flour in a bowl and add the sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. When they are incorporated and the mixture is smooth, add the milk and stir into a batter. Heat the oil to 365 F. Dip a large ladle (or mold) into the hot oil briefly and dip into the batter. Put the ladle back in the hot oil and fry the “basket” until it comes away from the ladle. Fry until golden brown; remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat to make at least four perfect baskets.
To prepare the peaches: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop peaches, one at a time, into the boiling water for 10 seconds to loosen the skin. Peel the peaches and cut in half; remove the pits and any woody material from the centers.
To assemble: Spread chocolate icing on opposite sides of each basket and attach a handle to each side, supporting the handles until they dry. Gently press a circle of genoise into the bottom of each basket. Place a peach half in each basket and place on a paper doily on a serving dish, or in a pretty stemmed glass. Spoon sabayon over the peaches. Garnish with candied flowers.
