Holiday Peach Jelly & Ice Cream
Recipe, words & images by Harriet Davidson
Seeing the road-side peach stand back up and running for the first time each year is like a red flag saying “go” for summer. Stone fruit season ‘tis the season to be jolly, in my world. I often buy my peaches by the crate; they’ll appear in dishes all summer long from salads, breakfast bowls, blinis, to roasting them on the barbecue for a side to Christmas ham, or simply thrown in my basket for a morning swimming on the rocks.
I’ve gone fun and festive with the favourite stone fruit for my last recipe of this wild year, and tapped into my nineties childhood with a peach jelly spiked with Campari, orange and rosemary. I’ve served it with a rich, creamy vanilla ice-cream because that’s the only way to eat jelly. The olive oil drizzle and sea salt sprinkle is a must. Happy holidays; I hope they’re as peach enriched as mine.
Harriet uses an IN BED 100% organic cotton waffle tea towel in Stone.
Recipe
Peaches are poached in a peach nectar along with rosemary and a splash of Campari and orange before being poured into jelly moulds to set over night. Swap out the Campari for an extra orange if you’re wanting to keep it non-alcoholic. Serve it on its own or with ice cream and that panettone that you’ve been picking at over Christmas. It’s bitter, it’s sweet, it’s fresh and it’s fun.
Peach jelly (enough for 6 small jelly moulds)
Ingredients
375ml peach nectar (Santa Vittoria does a killer one)
3 soft peaches
2 sprigs rosemary
2 tbsp castor sugar
2 tbsp Campari
Juice and zest of an orange
4 leaves gelatine (titanium strength)
Vanilla ice-cream to serve
Panettone to serve (optional)
Olive oil and sea salt flakes to serve
Method
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine peach nectar, chopped peaches, rosemary, sugar, Campari and orange juice and zest. Bring to the boil before turning down and let simmer for 10 minutes for flavours to combine. Remove from heat, strain (reserving poached peach pieces for serving) and return to saucepan.
Meanwhile, soak gelatine leaves in cold water for three minutes. Drain, squeeze out water and add to saucepan. Simmer on a low heat stirring until gelatine leaves are completely dissolved. Remove from heat.
Pour liquid into jelly moulds and let cool before putting in fridge to set overnight, or for at least six hours.
When ready to serve, let mould sit in hot water for 30 seconds or so to help loosen and tip out jelly onto your plate. Serve with a scoop of ice cream, a piece of panettone and poached peaches. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt flakes to finish.
Harriet uses an IN BED 100% organic cotton waffle tea towel in Stone, 100% linen napkin in Pine and placemat in peach. Ceramic plates are Harriet’s own, by Kattleya Silang ceramics and large gold spoon by Visser Brassware.