![]() ![]() It’s also why I reserve firmer fruit for cakes and tarts overripe ones go into jams, compotes or today’s shrub. That’s why I regard a tray of ripe peaches as something of a gift: eating them right there and then, and hitting that sweet spot, really is worthy of a celebration. (The cold temperature at which they are stored when shipped and stocked, to prolong shelf life, also means the flesh often turns very mealy.) They’ll continue to soften once picked, sure, and also develop an aroma, but their sweetness won’t develop any more post-picking. Along with other “non-climacteric” fruit such as pineapple, citrus, most berries and melons, they don’t store starch, so they don’t go through the same process of converting it into sugar. Peaches, on the other hand, are not such a peachy logistical dream. The ripe fruit will emit ethylene, which helps ripen the unripe fruit.) (On a smaller scale, you can achieve a similar effect at home by putting an unripe fruit in a paper bag with a ripe one. This makes such fruit a logistical dream for those who grow and sell them: they can be picked unripe and shipped hard (so they’re not prone to bruising), and ripened once the travel is done. Once picked, a simple hydrocarbon gas called ethylene triggers the process that converts that starch back to sweetness. Bananas and avocados (along with pears and tomatoes) are climacteric and often store their sugar in the form of starch. The difference between peaches and avocados is all to do with the way the fruits ripen. It’s not that those fruit are any less special it’s just that they don’t have quite the same wow factor, that tempting, “eat me now” look of a perfectly ripe peach. I would never have dreamed of taking a tray of, say, avocados or a bunch of bananas. This tart really gets its sweetness from the fruit (the filling is only slightly sweetened), so it is important to use the best fruit you can find.I went to a party earlier this summer and took a tray of ripe peaches instead of a bottle of wine. Feel free to switch out the topping for the best fruit you have available. This is a perfect tart, especially in the summer. ![]() The tart shell is flavored with vanilla bean and lemon zest, which adds another layer of flavor. It reminds me of more a shortbread cookie than a crust. I thought caramelized peaches would be a perfect topping to the lightly sweetened mascarpone filling. I was right, ultimate combo! What is also special about this tart is the shell. I love the flavor of cooked peaches the flavor is just so much more intense. Currently, peaches are in season, and I have been seeing a lot of grilled peach desserts. This grilled peach tart is the outcome of trying to satiate that craving. One of the best desserts I have ever eaten hands down. That tart will forever be ingrained in my memory. I still remember that delicious butter cookie tart crust, lightly sweetened mascarpone filling and those juicy strawberries. I have not been able to forget the strawberry mascarpone tart we had at Laduree the first time we went to Paris (which has been 5 years ago). Not exaggerating at all! So I bake sparingly, whenever I am craving something AND I have the heart to make it happen. I actually do like to bake on occasions, but mostly we don’t do desserts because of my husbands addiction to sugar. I think I have mentioned before that we are not really a dessert family. ![]()
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