Tender shortcake holds creamy mascarpone-whipped cream, grilled peaches, and a few red raspberries. It's a tasty dessert!
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You know it's late spring or early summer when you see pints and pints of strawberries in at the store, usually flanked on either end with packages of pre-baked shortcake. Having done a stint in retail, I can appreciate an effective display of seasonal merchandise!
Also conspicuous at this time of year are blushing, fuzzy peaches, arranged at a steep angle next to nectarines and plums. Like a ski slope of stone fruits.
Did anyone else have peach issues as a kid? My fussy eater habits meant that I could not stand the fuzzy feel of biting into a fresh peach. I preferred the neon-hued slices of cling peaches that slid out from a can, suspended in a thick puddle of heavy syrup.
I don't mind that fuzzy skin so much anymore and good thing, because there is so much beauty, perfume, and succulence in a fresh peach. Sear that peach on a grill and it develops a tantalizing sweet and smoky juiciness.
You'll love this dessert, here's why
A long, soft shortcake base holds clouds of mascarpone whipped cream, along with drizzles of floral honey. On top of that? A pile of grilled peaches. Plus a sprinkle of red raspberries... and a little more honey.
This dessert has a lovely contrast of sweetness to smoky, and it's bursting with summery flavor. And if you're like young me and have an aversion to peach fuzziness, there's enough going on in this shortcake to distract you from the fuzzies.
🔪 How to make Peach Shortcake With Mascarpone
Step 1: Make the shortcake batter
Mix the dry ingredients and cut in cubes of cold butter. Add half and half to make a soft dough.
Step 2: Bake the shortcake
Roll the dough into a long rectangle and slide it onto a baking sheet. Bake it for about 10 minutes until it's golden brown. Let it cool.
Step 3: Grill the peaches
Lightly brush the cut peaches with oil, then grill them for a few minutes until they soften a bit and have grill marks.
Step 4: Make the cream
Whip the cold cream and sugar to make whipped cream. Then stir in the softened mascarpone cheese.
Step 5: Put the dessert together
Drizzle honey over the cooled shortcake, then spoon the cream over the whole thing. Sprinkle the cut, grilled peaches over the cream. Scatter red raspberries over the top along with a little more honey. It's now ready to slice and serve!
Tips:
- Keep the butter for the shortcake very cold. The pieces of cold butter in the dough will make the baked shortcake tender and light.
- Use yellow or white peaches in this recipe. And if the skins really bug you, you can also peel the peaches before grilling them.
- Be sure to chill the bowl and beater for at least 10 minutes before making the whipped cream. This will help the whipped cream come together faster.
The recipe is below, and here are more desserts to tempt your sweet tooth:
💬 How do you like peaches and cream? Leave a comment below!
📖 Recipe
Grilled Peaches and Cream Shortcake With A Few Red Raspberries
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached (plus extra for rolling out dough)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, cold
- ⅓ cup half and half
- 3 fresh ripe peaches, washed and pits removed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup cold whipping cream
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
- ¼ cup confectioner's sugar
- 2½ tablespoons honey
- 3 ounces red raspberries, washed gently and air-dried
Instructions
Make the shortcake:
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, the granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Slice the cold butter into small pieces. Add the butter to the flour mixture and use a pastry blender to cut it into the dry ingredients. If any large pieces remain, use your fingers to squeeze and flatten them.
- Add in the half and half and use a spoon to toss and combine the mixture.
- Lay a long piece of parchment paper over your work surface and dust with flour - or, lay out a large Silpat baking mat. Turn out the contents of the bowl.
- Sprinkle the top of the dough with a bit more flour and knead by hand for 2 or 3 minutes until it has just come together into a smooth dough (add a sprinkle more flour to the work surface or dough to keep it from getting too sticky.)
- With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangle roughly 10 inches by 15 inches, and ½ inch thick. Transfer the paper or Silpat with the dough to a large baking sheet.
- Bake the shortcake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until the cake is puffed and just turning a light brown. Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.
- Place the bowl and whisk attachment of your stand mixer into the freezer.
Grill the peaches:
- Slice the pitted peaches into 1-inch thick slices. Heat a grill pan on your stovetop until it's very hot, or heat a gas grill. Brush the surfaces of the peaches with olive oil, and also use some of the oil on the grates of your grill pan or grates.
- Place the peach slices on the hot grill and grill them for about 3 minutes on each side: the slices should have grill marks and be softened.
- Remove the slices from the heat and allow them to cool until they can be handled. Cut the slices into large chunks and place them in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate them until they are cooled.
Make the whipped cream:
- Remove the bowl and whisk from the freezer and attach them to your stand mixer. Beat the whipping cream on high, adding in the confectioner's sugar after it starts to thicken. Beat the cream until it is thick and holds soft peaks - about 4 minutes total. Reduce the speed to low and add in the softened mascarpone cheese, mixing it just until the cheese is incorporated.
Assemble the dessert:
- Carefully transfer the cooled shortcake to a flat serving dish or decorative wood cutting board. Drizzle half of the honey evenly over the surface of the shortcake.
- Spoon the mascarpone whipped cream over the shortcake, spreading it to an even layer and leaving about 1 inch of cake showing around the edges. Scatter the chilled grilled peaches over the top of the whipped cream.
- Place 6 of the raspberries in a small bowl and squish them with the back of a spoon. Place dollops of the smooshed berries over the top of the peaches, and then scatter the remaining whole raspberries over the peaches as well. Finally, drizzle the rest of the honey over the top of the fruit.
- Slice the shortcake into eight pieces and serve immediately. The shortcake can also be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to two days.
Notes
- Keep the butter for the shortcake very cold. The pieces of cold butter in the dough will make the baked shortcake tender and light.
- Use yellow or white peaches in this recipe. And if the skins really bug you, you can also peel the peaches before grilling them.
- Be sure to chill the bowl and beater for at least 10 minutes before making the whipped cream. This will help the whipped cream come together faster.
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