Peach panna cotta tart

Because technically it is still National Peach Month I wanted to share another favorite recipe of mine using this fruit. Combining the softness of the panna cotta with the crunchiness of the base, this might be the perfect way to eat something sweet without worrying about your summer body.

The day I made this I was feeling a bit adventurous, exchanging the common cracker base for one that has oats and walnuts in it. The subtle taste of it makes a great pair with the peachy, fine flavor of the cream, and brings more texture to the whole dessert. After I tried really hard to grind the walnuts in a small coffee grinder (because why not) without burning down the whole kitchen, it was time for the oat flakes; no plot twist here, they came out nice. Sadly, I didn’t have enough budget to go on a all-nuts-and-healthy-stuff base, so I also used some simple crackers. I combined them all with melted butter and pressed the composition down in a pan. The hardest part is to press the edges in a way so they won’t break down – here is where it comes in handy to use a glass or something to get around them; also, your own fingers are your best friends. When I will find another way, I will share it ASAP.

I like to use panna cotta as the cream for a tart because of it’s fine, slightly sweet taste; from my trials, I discovered that this kind of filling works better with a cracker base rather than a dough one because it soaks right in, making the biscuits stick together even more. Another tip would be to use the ripest peaches you can find in order to get that lovely flavor in the panna cotta, and for the decor to use the slightly harder ones, so they will keep their form and won’t drip down on the top of your dessert.

Mistake n°1 to avoid: not using a detachable bottom pan; that will mess with your whole tart. I wanted to take it off the tray in order to get a nice picture and to get it to look more presentable, but the funniest thing happened: as I was flipping it over with a plate on top, half of the base began to fall off; but I wouldn’t stop there. I flipped it again, so it would be in the normal position, with the base down on a plate and the panna cotta on top, but -guess what- the other half began to crumble. Fast forward 100 tears later, I began to recreate the crumbled base in the pan with the help of some melted butter and to add the hardened cream on top. I think I fixed my mess nicely, as no one could say what tearful event happened before.

Top the tart with fresh slices of peaches, mint and lavender for aesthetic reasons (I’m not comfortable eating freshly picked lavender yet) and finally, have a slice. After the hard work you’ve put into making this, you deserve to have a taste.

 

Peach galette

Some days ago I wasn’t in the mood to bake something too complicated and to wait anxiously next to it to see if it fails or not, so I chose the perfect recipe for lazy times: the galette. Delicious as a pie, but easier and more relaxing to make, this is the best dessert for “when you’re not feeling it”, but you certainly feel the sweet tooth raging.

Knead the dough and let it chill; meanwhile, slice thinly the peaches and mix them with sugar, cinnamon, flour (to absorb some of the moisture) and lemon (to not lose the fresh color) until they are well covered in this syrup. Try not to eat too many savoury slices of peach while you wait for the dough to harden (I know, it is a burden). Take the dough out, roll it in a rectangle-y shape – it is ok if it’s not perfect- place the peaches and cover them slightly with the dough margins. If you want the pastry to look shiny and appetizing, brush it with some egg yolk wash and press icing sugar on top.

The last thing to do is to bake it and tadada! you have your dessert. As easy as pie! I hid it for a day in the pantry so I can take some photos and let me tell you- people were circling around it like eagles – “what’s that smell?” “have you baked something?” “can I have some?”. NOOO. Useless to say that after I finished the photos everyone took “a slice” that meant like a quarter of galette, leaving me with “the dummy food”, but I guess that’s OK. At least it was a success.

If you want to reach heaven with this dessert, pick the ripest peaches you can find, because those are the sweetest and will make your galette a rainbow of tastiness. Also, if you want, you can add a pinch of vanilla and some nutmeg to the mix of spices that flavor the fruits. With all that being said, slow down and enjoy!