almond-crisped peaches.

September is coming.  

While I can't deny my excitement for the impending arrival of fall - my over-sized blazers can emerge from storage, loafers will soon be my footwear of choice, weekends can actually be spent standing over my stove instead of in front of my air conditioner, there is something always heartbreaking about labor day weekend. The fact that work weeks will actually be full work weeks again, that Friday's don't necessarily mean an early close, that I can't get peaches at the market anymore.  

This was a good year for peaches.  They were juicy and impossibly sweet.  The kind of fruit to eat while standing in a field in cut-off Levis and a white tee-shirt, juices dripping down your chin, a smile on your face.  
This peach recipe is the simplest of simple.  The perfect way to celebrate the end of summer and the fleeing days of freedom.  The kind of thing to be eaten for at the end of an alfresco dinner party or for a lazy Sunday morning brunch. Yes, this can be an elegant breakfast or an equally elegant dessert which is why I love this recipe so much.  

So long summer, you came and went to fast.  

Almond-Crisped Peaches
Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

I couldn't resist messing with this recipe.  Mostly because I saw this as an opportunity to use my bourbon smoked sugar since bourbon and peaches go together like peanut butter and jelly.  (Which reminds me I still need to make my peach infused bourbon, I see this as a weekend project!)  Obviously regular sugar can be used since this recipe is utterly adaptable.  

4 ripe peaches

1/3 cup (55 grams) almond flour

1/4 cup bourbon barrel smoked sugar (can be found here) or raw sugar or light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnaomon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt

3 tablespoons (45 grams) butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Halve peaches and remove pits. Place fruit cut side up in baking dish. In a bowl combine the almond flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and sea salt.  Pour the melted butter over the top and stir to combine. Spoon the almond mixture into the center of each peach, then press it flat, as if icing the tops of the peaches with it. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (baking time varies with peach size), until the top is brown and crisp and you can easily slice through the fruit with a fork or spoon.

Serve warm or at room temperature, with creme fraiche, lightly sweetened whipped cream or even plain yogurt, cold, for breakfast.