Top 5 Peach Recipes: Preparing for The Fort Collins Peach Fest

‘Tis the season for sweet, juicy peaches! The perfect summertime fruit helps lead us into fall this August 22nd, 2015 with the fifth annual Fort Collins Peach Festival at Colorado State University’s Hughes Stadium! Yet, with so many different ways to enjoy the seasonal delicacy, we thought we’d offer you some guidance on the best ways to prepare our favorite fruit.

It won’t come as a surprise to anyone who has attended this event in the past, but we’re sure you’ll walk away with more peaches than you may know what to do with. However, no need to fret! We’ve got you covered. Here are five of the most mouth-watering peach dishes from MyRecipes.com, the largest collection of professionally-tested recipes online from food experts at the magazines and cookbooks you love and trust–including Cooking Light, Southern Living, Sunset, Coastal Living, Real Simple, and more.

Ginger-Peach Shortbread Cobbler

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 
1/2 cup loosely packed light brown sugar
• 
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/4 cups plus 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 3/4 cup turbinado sugar, divided
• 7 to 9 medium-size peaches (such as ‘Elberta’), halved
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
  2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Beat first 3 ingredients and 2 1/4 cups flour at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer just until combined. Place dough on a lightly floured surface; roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut about 14 rounds with a 2 1/2-inch fluted round cutter. Place rounds in a single layer on a baking sheet; cover and chill until ready to use.
2. Pulse ginger and 1/4 cup turbinado sugar in a food processor 5 to 6 times or until well combined. Stir together ginger mixture and remaining 1/2 cup turbinado sugar in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, peaches, and remaining 3 Tbsp. flour; toss to coat. Place peach halves, slightly overlapping, in a greased (with butter) 10-inch cast-iron skillet, and pour any remaining juice over peaches.
3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and nestle shortbread dough rounds among peaches. Brush rounds with egg white, and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake 17 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

Peach Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

• Parchment paper
  4 medium peaches (about 1 1/2 lb.), unpeeled and cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges
  2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
  1 cup cake flour
  3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
  3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature and divided
  1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  1 vanilla bean
  2 large eggs
  1/2 cup sour cream
  Sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Add 3 Tbsp. butter to a 9-inch round metal cake pan and place over low heat. Once butter has melted, sprinkle in 1/4 cup brown sugar. Stir until smooth, then spread mixture evenly in pan. Remove from heat and arrange peach slices decoratively in a single layer over brown sugar mixture.
2. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream remaining 4 Tbsp. butter and 2/3 cup sugar until light, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add one-third of flour mixture; mix on low speed until just combined. Mix in half of buttermilk, then another third of flour mixture. Repeat with remaining buttermilk and flour.
3. Spread batter gently over peaches, taking care not to displace them. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes; invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Almond Pavlova with Peaches, Cream and Salted Peach Caramel

Ingredients: 

MERINGUES

• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
• 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

CARAMEL AND PEACHES

• 2 1/2 pounds firm-ripe yellow peaches, divided
• 1 cup plus 1 tbsp. sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup whipping cream

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 250°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and draw a 5- by 10-in. rectangle on each with a pencil; turn paper over.
2. Make meringues: Pulse almonds in a food processor until coarsely ground. In a large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer on high speed until frothy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar (about 1 tbsp. every 10 to 15 seconds), beating until whites are glossy and hold a straight point when beater is lifted. Scrape inside of bowl. Beat in almond extract until evenly blended, then fold in ground almonds.
3. Attach corners of parchment to pans with a little meringue. With a long metal spatula, evenly spread half of meringue on each parchment rectangle, shaping straight sides. Bake, switching pans halfway through, until meringues are very crisp and pale golden, about 1 1/2 hours. Let stand in oven with door ajar until cool, at least 2 hours.
4. Meanwhile, make caramel: Peel* 2 medium peaches (wait till step 6 to peel others), pit, and finely mash in a bowl with a pastry blender. Cook 1 cup sugar in a large frying pan over medium heat, lifting and swirling pan occasionally, until sugar melts and turns golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in mashed peaches (sugar may seize up) and remove from heat. Let stand about 30 minutes. If you still have sugar lumps, cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until sugar melts again, 3 to 6 minutes. Spoon 1/2 cup peach mixture into a medium bowl, add lemon juice, and set aside.
5. Strain remaining peach mixture into a bowl, pushing to extract liquid, then return liquid to pan. Stir in butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until butter melts. Stir in almond extract and set the salted caramel aside.
6. Peel remaining peaches, slice, and stir into fruit-lemon juice mixture in bowl. In another bowl, beat cream and remaining 1 tbsp. sugar until softly thickened.
7. Loosen meringues from paper. Set 1 on a platter. Gently spread with half of whipped cream, leaving a border. Spoon some of sliced peaches and their liquid on top. Drizzle with a little salted caramel sauce (rewarm if needed so it’s pourable). Repeat layers. Cut into wide slices and serve with more peaches and any remaining caramel sauce.

Make ahead: Through step 5, up to 1 day; warm sauces in a microwave until room temperature.

Note: To peel peaches, immerse in a pan of boiling water until skins pull off easily with a knife, about 15 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and peel them with a knife.

Grilled Peach Chutney Pizza with Prosciutto and Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 pound peeled peaches, cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
• 3 tablespoons semolina flour or polenta
• 1 pound refrigerated prepared pizza dough, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
• 1 cup very thinly sliced red onion
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups baby arugula

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (This helps with cleanup.) Toss peaches with lemon juice. Sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
2. Cook 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, 10 minutes or until sugar melts and turns a deep amber color. Remove from heat. Immediately add 1/4 cup butter, stirring vigorously. Spread caramelized sugar to coat bottom of skillet evenly, and sprinkle with brown sugar. Arrange peach wedges in concentric circles over sugar mixture, overlapping as needed.
3. Split vanilla bean lengthwise, and scrape out seeds into bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Beat vanilla seeds and remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add sour cream, beating until blended. Gradually add sifted flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended and stopping to scrape bowl as needed. Spoon batter over peaches in skillet, and spread to cover. Place skillet on prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in skillet on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge to loosen.
5. Carefully pour out any excess liquid from skillet into a measuring cup, and reserve. (It’s okay if you don’t have any excess liquid–it all depends on how juicy your fruit is.) Carefully invert cake onto a serving plate, and drizzle with any reserved liquid. Cool slightly (about 10 minutes). Cut cake into wedges using a serrated knife. Top with sweetened whipped cream, if desired, and serve immediately.

Peach Cinnamon Jam

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup bottled lemon juice
• 4 pounds firm peaches, peeled, pitted
• 6 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Combine juice and 1 cup water in a wide, heavy-bottom pot. Roughly chop peaches; add to pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until peaches are tender and just beginning to break down, 10 to 30 minutes, depending on ripeness. Slightly crush mixture with a masher, leaving some large chunks.

2. Add sugar and cinnamon; cook, stirring constantly, until sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to high and boil rapidly, stirring constantly, until thickened and at the gel stage (details on how to do this here), 20 to 30 minutes. Skim off any foam from the top and discard.

3. Ladle jam into half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Process for 10 minutes using the boiling-water method (details on how to do this here).

The Fort Collins Peach Festival is sponsored by The Rotary Clubs of Fort Collins and will offer peaches from Palisade, a 5K Run/Walk, children’s activities, entertainment, peach pies, live music, delicious food and beverages, business booths and numerous other peach-themed events all day long! Want to be a sponsor? Sponsorship options are currently available, click here to learn more. We hope to see you at the event!