I once worked with a French waiter known for a fierce scowl that could cause even the most self-assured chef and diner to wither. He tasted one spoonful of these peaches and told me that this was his idea of the perfect dessert. It was one of the few times I saw him smile. But what’s not to like? Icy peaches floating in sweet red wine is pretty close to perfection, if I do say so myself. His good mood didn’t last very long. But after that, every time we passed each other, I knew from the tiny gleam in his eye that I’d won the admiration of my toughest customer.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　3/4 cup (150 g) sugar

　　2 cups (500 ml) fruity red wine, such as Merlot, Zinfandel, or Beaujolais

　　4 ripe yellow or white medium peaches (1 1/2 pounds/675 g)

　　

Step 1

In a large nonreactive bowl, whisk together the sugar and wine until the sugar is completely dissolved.

　　

Step 2

Peel the peaches, halve them, and remove the pits. Cut each peach half into slices 1 inch (3 cm) thick and submerge them in the wine. Taste and add more sugar if desired. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours.

　　

Serving

Step 3

The peaches should be enjoyed as cold as possible. Serve them right from the refrigerator in well-chilled bowls with lots of the cold sweetened wine. Crisp cookies, such as Pecan-Butterscotch Tuiles (page 214) or Croquants (page 211), are great served alongside.

　　

Storage

Step 4

You can make the recipe up to 8 hours in advance and keep the mixture chilled until ready to serve. You can also chill the sweetened wine a few days in advance and add the peaches the day you plan to serve them.

　　

Variation

Step 5

Use yellow and white nectarines instead of peaches (there’s no need to peel the nectarines).

　　

tip

Step 6

Superfine or baker’s sugar dissolves much more quickly than regular granulated sugar. To make your own superfine sugar, pulse granulated sugar in a blender or a food processor a few times until the texture is very fine.

　　Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz. Copyright © 2010 by David Lebovitz. Published by Ten Speed Press. All Rights Reserved.David Lebovitz lived in San Francisco for twenty years before moving to Paris. He baked at several notable restaurants before starting his career as a cookbook author and food writer. He's the author of four highly regarded books on desserts, and has written for many major food magazines, sharing his well-tested recipes written with a soupçon of humor. His popular, award-winning blog, www.davidlebovitz.com, entertains readers from around the world with sweet and savory recipes as he tries to unravel the complexities of living in Paris.