Recipe for Pêche Melba

In Wil Demandt’s kitchen, it’s always Sunday. Partly because of his Limburg roots, he is the undisputed master of exceptionally delicious Burgundian dishes. In Always Sunday, he has compiled his tastiest recipes, including this Pêche Melba.

Wil: “A brilliant dessert, designed by Auguste Escoffier for the Australian soprano Nellie Melba, who made a name for herself in 19th-century London. She stayed at the Ritz hotel for a long time, where Escoffier ran the kitchens. Sweet from the voluptuous peach, tart from the redcurrant, rich from the vanilla ice cream and intriguing because of the raspberries.”

How to make the Pêche Melba

• Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones. Sprinkle them with the lemon juice.
• Make a syrup with the white wine, sugar and split vanilla pod. Poach the peach halves in it (together with the stones, for flavour) for about 15 minutes over low heat until soft. Let them cool in the syrup, then carefully remove the skin.
• Take a large, deep (preferably ice-cold) plate or dish. Spoon a layer of redcurrant jelly into it and arrange the peach halves around it, rounded side up. Make a tower of scoops of vanilla ice cream in the centre. Garnish with the redcurrants and raspberries, and drizzle with a little syrup from the pan.
• Serve the pêche melba with almond tuiles. The dessert becomes extra festive with spun sugar sprinkled over it. Serve with a glass of champagne enriched with a splash of peach syrup!

How to make the redcurrant jelly

• Boil 200 grams of redcurrants, stems and all, together with 3 tablespoons of sugar for about 10 minutes. Then pour the berries through a sieve and collect the juice. Press all the pulp through the sieve with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir briefly and let cool completely. The jelly will set on its own thanks to the pectin content of the berries.

Title: Always Sunday
Author: Wil Demandt
Price: €39,99
Publisher: Carrera

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