Peaches
Every time I start making stuffed peaches, I remember that I always get tricked by the size of the balls. Almost without exception, they turn out a bit larger than I expect, and I can't fit more than one tray at a time. The kitchen smells sweet, with a hint of vanilla and lemon, and at some point, it doesn't matter that it's cold outside.
Quick Info
Total time: about 3 hours (including cooling the cream)
Servings: 25-30 peaches (depending on the size of the balls)
Difficulty: medium
Ingredients
For the shells:
- 3 eggs
- 150 g sugar
- 200 ml oil
- 1 packet of vanilla sugar (8 g)
- grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 packet of baking powder (10 g)
- 500 g type 000 flour (pastry flour)
For the cream:
- 300 ml liquid cream for whipping (minimum 30% fat)
- 200 g chocolate (I use a mix of dark and milk chocolate)
- 5 tablespoons roasted and ground walnuts
- the pitted flesh from the peach shells
- 1-2 teaspoons rum essence
For decoration:
- yellow and red food coloring (diluted with a little water)
- granulated sugar
- green leaves (optional, for decoration)
Preparation method
1. Prepare the dough for the shells. In a large bowl, place the eggs with the sugar, vanilla sugar, and oil. Beat them with a mixer until you get a slightly frothy and light-colored mixture.
2. Add the grated lemon zest and juice. Mix briefly.
3. Put away the mixer. Sift the flour and mix it with the baking powder, then gradually incorporate it into the liquid mixture. Start mixing with a spoon, then knead by hand until you have a soft, elastic dough that doesn't stick to your fingers. If the dough seems too soft, add another tablespoon or two of flour, but don't overdo it.
4. Tear off pieces of dough the size of a small walnut (about 12 g each, if you want to weigh them for uniformity). Roll them between your palms to get as even balls as possible.
5. Place the balls on a tray lined with baking paper, spaced 3-4 cm apart. Do not flatten them.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C, on the middle rack, for 15-20 minutes. The shells should remain light in color on top and only slightly golden on the bottom. Do not let them brown.
7. Remove the tray and let them cool completely in the tray, as they are fragile when warm.
8. When they have cooled, hollow out each shell with a small, sharp knife on the flat side until you get a cavity. Be careful not to puncture the shell. Gather all the flesh you removed – you will need it for the cream.
9. For the cream: place the whipping cream and broken chocolate pieces in a heat-resistant bowl. Set the bowl over a double boiler and heat, stirring, until the chocolate completely melts and the mixture is homogeneous. Do not let it boil.
10. Let the cream cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 1.5-2 hours to firm up a bit.
11. Remove the cream from the refrigerator and whip at high speed, like for whipped cream, until it becomes fluffy.
12. Incorporate the rum essence, the pitted flesh from the shells, and the roasted and ground walnuts. Mix with a spatula. The cream should be thick, not runny.
13. Fill each half shell with cream, then stick them together two by two. Handle them carefully, as they are quite fragile.
14. Prepare two bowls with yellow and red food coloring, diluted with a little water. Dip each peach first in yellow, then just on the edges in red for a natural effect.
15. Roll each peach in granulated sugar while they are still slightly wet from the coloring.
16. Place them on a platter to dry for at least an hour at room temperature before moving them to boxes.
Why I make this recipe often
The recipe keeps well for a few days, and the cookies remain soft, not hardening. They can be prepared 2-3 days in advance of any event, and their flavor actually improves after a day. I like that I can use both walnuts and hazelnuts or even crushed cookies for the cream if I don't have enough flesh from the shells.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Smaller balls are easier to hollow out and don't crack as easily when sticking together.
- Use a small fruit knife for hollowing out.
- If you feel the dough has dried in the meantime, cover it with plastic wrap between trays.
- Fill the shells with cream only after they have completely cooled; otherwise, they will soften inside.
Substitutions
- You can use only milk chocolate or only dark chocolate, to taste.
- Walnuts can be replaced with hazelnuts, almonds, or crushed digestive biscuits.
- Natural colorants from beetroot or turmeric can be an option if you don't want to use regular food coloring, although the shade will not be as intense.
Variations
- For a different flavor, you can replace the rum essence with orange zest or almond essence.
- You can add raisins soaked in rum or pieces of candied fruit to the cream.
- If you don't want granulated sugar on the outside, you can use powdered sugar, but it will absorb the coloring, and the appearance will be different.
Serving ideas
- They can be arranged on a platter with mint or rosemary leaves for decoration.
- They are suitable for dessert platters for festive meals or for breakfast alongside coffee.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I make the shells in advance and fill them the next day?
Yes, the simple shells can be kept for 1-2 days in a well-sealed container at room temperature. They won't dry out if you don't leave them uncovered.
2. How long do the stuffed peaches last?
They keep for 4-5 days in the fridge, in tin or plastic boxes. They become softer after the first day.
3. What type of chocolate do you recommend for the cream?
The best combination is between milk chocolate and dark chocolate, for a balance between creamy and intense. If you want a sweeter cream, just use milk chocolate.
4. I don't have food coloring; what can I use?
You can try beet juice for the red shade and a pinch of turmeric for yellow, but the colors won't be as vibrant.
5. The shells cracked while hollowing out. Can I still use them?
If they are not completely broken, you can stick them together with a little cream. If they break completely, you can crumble them and use them in other cake creams.
Nutritional values (estimate per piece)
Calories: 140 kcal
Protein: 2 g
Fat: 7 g
Carbohydrates: 17 g
Values may vary depending on the amount of cream, type of chocolate, and size of the peaches. They are quite substantial cookies.
Storage and reheating
Stuffed peaches are best stored in metal or plastic boxes at room temperature if it is cool or in the fridge if it is warm. They become softer after a few hours due to the cream. They do not require reheating. They can be consumed directly from the fridge, but the flavor is more pleasant at room temperature. If they get too soft on the outside, leave them uncovered for 30-60 minutes to air out.
In a larger bowl, add the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla sugar, and beat with a mixer. Then add the lemon zest and juice, and finally, setting the mixer aside, incorporate the flour mixed with baking powder. Mix initially with a spatula or spoon, then knead by hand until a non-sticky dough forms. From this dough, shape balls the size of walnuts and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on the oven, at a low temperature. They should remain white on the surface and golden underneath. Allow to cool completely, then use a sharp knife to hollow them out. For the cream, break the chocolate and mix it with whipped cream. Melt it over a bain-marie, then refrigerate for 2 hours, after which beat it with a mixer. Add rum essence, roasted and ground nuts, and the scooped-out insides of the shells. The cream should be quite firm. Each shell is filled with cream, then two are stuck together. Be careful, they are quite fragile. Then dip them in yellow and red food coloring and granulated sugar. Place them on a tray to dry a bit, then they can be stored in tin boxes.
Ingredients: Ingredients for shells: - 3 eggs - 150 g sugar - 200 ml oil - 1 baking powder - 1 packet vanilla sugar - zest and juice of one lemon - 500 g flour Cream: - 300 ml whipped cream - 200 g chocolate (bitter + milk) - rum essence - 5 tablespoons ground or crushed nuts - the core scooped out from the shells Decor: - yellow and red food coloring diluted in water - granulated sugar - green leaves
