Luscious Stuffed Peaches w Caramel & Whisky Sauce

As is always my aim, this recipe delivers a really nice, really easy dish, and I consider it to be so gorgeous that it's suitable for a romantic dinner dessert as well as one to impress a family. It's portable, too, if necessary - so next visit to my brother and sister-in-law I'll be preparing the components and taking them to assemble after main course at lunch.

The quantities given will serve two - with quite a rich filling and sauce, two peach halves is just right per person. The recipe is based on an idea from The Guardian Cook supplements, but the sauce is different. If the ingredients are ready measured out, 25-30 minutes should be enough to prepare and serve.

Here the peach halves are grilled, but could instead be heated and marked on a griddle pan (cut side only is enough) until hot and gently seared. I like whisky in the sauce, but Southern Comfort is good too - or neither, and substitute a pinch of salt.

Ready for the grill or griddle

Luscious Stuffed Peaches with Caramel and Whisky Sauce
Ingredients
2 large ripe peaches
110g mascarpone
2 tsp vanilla extract (otherwise use essence)
70ml single cream (double would work but result in a thicker sauce)
30g soft dark brown sugar
15g butter
1 tsp whisky 

Method
1  Cut each peach right around, starting at the stalk site, cutting right to the stone.
         To remove the stone, hold each half gently and twist - the halves should
         separate (as do avocados), but if not, carefully insert a knife to ease out the
         stone. Put the halves, cut side up, in the grill pan.
2  Put the mascarpone and vanilla extract into a bowl, mix them well and set aside. 

Mascarpone & sauce

3  Place the cream and sugar in a small pan and heat gently, stirring at times, until
         the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer for 3 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove
         from the heat, add the butter and whisky (or Southern Comfort or salt) and stir until 
         the butter has melted.
4  Heat the grill, then place the peaches under it until they start to scorch (keep watch), 
         then remove from the heat and place two halves on each of two small dessert
         plates. 
5  Scoop the mascarpone mixture into the centre of the peaches, then drizzle the
         sauce lightly over them, allowing it to pool a little around the plate.

And ... eat!

If serving this after a cooked meal, you could follow the recipe up to the end of stage 4 before devouring the main course. Then it takes just a couple of minutes for step 5.

I wish we had a peach tree in the garden. Wouldn't be possible with our apples - although come to think of it, plums might work OK providing they are well ripe. But not so decadent.