GIANDUIA PEACHES

Juicy, ripe California peaches with espresso-dipped ladyfinger cookies, mascarpone cream, hazelnuts and a warm Gianduia chocolate drizzle create a decadent dessert that’s a perfect encore to any meal. The combination of tangy peaches and rich chocolate set the stage for this beautiful, flavorful and elegant dessert.

1/2 cup hazelnuts
1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
6 large California peaches, peeled
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup mascarpone
12 soft ladyfinger cookies
1/2 cup brewed espresso (or espresso liqueur)
2 ounces Gianduia chocolate, chopped*
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toast hazelnuts on a sheet pan, stirring often, until skin is cracked. To remove the peel, rub hazelnuts in a kitchen towel. Coarsely chop hazelnuts and set aside.

Combine 2 cups of water with sugar and cinnamon stick in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Drop in the peaches and cook until the skin cracks and easily separates from the fruit. Immediately transfer the peaches to a bucket of iced water. Peel the fruit, cut in half and remove the pits.

Beat the heavy cream to soft peaks; fold the corn syrup into the whipped cream and add to mascarpone to blend.

Dip ladyfinger cookies into espresso (or espresso liqueur).

Melt the Giandiua chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth.

Place 1 ladyfinger in the bottom of each of 12 champagne glasses or dessert dishes. Top with 1 peach half. Spoon on the mascarpone cream, garnish with hazelnuts, dust with the cocoa and drizzle with melted chocolate.

*Giandiua (pronounced john-DOO-yuh) is a combination of roasted, pulverized hazelnuts and chocolate (usually milk chocolate). It can be found in chocolate or confectionary specialty stores.

Recipe created by Wolfgang Hanau
Source: California Tree Fruit Agreement (CTFA)