Grilled Peaches With Vanilla Maple Mascarpone

Peaches and nectarines are my jam! I miss Ontario peaches tremendously and this year was the first time in 5 years living in Trinidad that I decided to just get some! (Presently living in Canada and my update to this is below) I really don’t know where they were imported from. Probably somewhere in the US. They weren’t as expensive as I thought they would be but then again, the quality wasn’t exactly great either. But they smelled heavenly. My head was literally in the bag the whole way home from the little market I picked them up from — breathing them in!

I came home and was ready to make something yummy out of them. Roasted was the way to go especially with how ripe they were. There was no caprese salad happening with these little guys. Naturally I went with maple syrup as my sweetener but our local honey would work wonderfully. Topped with some toasted pecans and a pinch of cinnamon made these even more fabulous.

Why mascarpone over whip cream or ice cream? These would be awesome with either of those options but I am a huge fan of mascarpone. Whip is great but I thought it was a little too light for this dessert. Ice cream is also great but super sweet, and the sweetness of the peaches almost gets lost, and of course it melts instantly next to the warm peaches. Here’s where the mascarpone wins. It’s basically very thick whipping cream — although I’m sure it’s more complex than that, but to me that’s what it tastes like. I love it and can literally eat it from the tub. (Check out my go-to homemade recipe for mascarpone) I didn’t sweeten it with anything so it didn’t take away from the peaches but added a beautiful creaminess to the desert and was a delicious match. The toasted pecans added a nice crunch and the cinnamon just enhances the sweetness of the peaches!

I think this would be a great anytime dessert but would look kind of special served individually in glass dessert bowls for a dinner party!! It’s a no fuss and minimal effort dessert but the results make it seem otherwise. It’s a pretty dreamy desert and leftover roasted peaches were had on ricotta toast. Hope you give it a try and those of you living where peaches grow on trees — think of me while your slicing into a good one!!

UPDATE: So yes that was me last year while still living in Trinidad coveting everyone’s beautiful peaches on instagram. This year living in Canada again nothing has changed. I’m still dreaming of Ontario peaches that aren’t quite ready for the picking yet. They are just the best!! I’m still very much appreciating the imported ones from out neighbor country (USA) and had to reshoot these for the blog. I decided to grill mine so that you have a grilled version along with a roasted oven version Both are so delicious and both versions utilize the same flavours. I know you will love both. The roasted one creates the loveliest syrup to drizzle over the peaches and cream and in the grilled one the flavours of the peach stand alone and are a little smoky from the grill and the mascarpone is what gives the maple vanilla flavour to the dish. You can’t go wrong with either method! Enjoy!

Baked version

Ingredients

• 4 ripe(ish) peaches
• 2 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp maple syrup (honey is a good alternative)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Juice of one lime (I leave out the like when I grill them)
• 1½ cups of mascarpone

Toppings

• Toasted chopped pecans
• Pinch of cinnamon on each and a sprig of thyme for colour and a hint of savoury

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 ° F
2. Cut peaches in half, remove pit and set aside
3. Heat an oven proof skillet to medium and melt butter and then add the maple syrup, vanilla and lime juice
4. dd the peaches to the skillet and toss gently to coat, then flip them cut side down and put in the oven and bake for approx 15 minutes or until done and nice and tender. Baste with the syrup and pan juices halfway through baking
5. Remove from oven when done and let cool for a few minutes
6. While they are cooling heat a small skillet to medium and add the pecans and toss occasionally until golden brown and fragrant - only takes a few minutes. Let them cool for a couple minutes and then use a knifes to chop them
7. Plate the peaches cut side up with a dollop of mascarpone topped with a pinch of cinnamon, chopped pecans and a drizzle of syrup left behind in the pan.

Grilled version with vanilla maple mascarpone cream

Cut peaches and remove pit and brush cut sides with melted butter or coconut oil and grill (bbq, grill pan or stovetop grill) on medium heat until cut side is golden with grill marks and the peaches are soft and starting to caramelize. Remove from heat and set aside. Stir Mascarpone until softened. Mix in maple Syrup and vanilla until well blended to taste. Do not over-mix. Serve next to or over the grilled peaches dusted with cinnamon and drizzled with extra maple syrup and some sprigs of fresh thyme.