Poached White Peaches with Jasmine Tea Snow

It has been very hot this weekend, and with Memorial Day just around the corner, I started thinking about food and drink to serve in the back yard, as I am sure many people will be eating outdoors over the holiday.

When I went to the supermarket, the summer fruit had arrived with ripe California cherries and strawberries on sale, but the fragrant, sweet smell of peaches was the thing that you noticed the most when walking around the produce section.

This recipe for peaches with jasmine tea uses white peaches, but regular peaches, or even nectarines would also work. It makes a great non-alcoholic drink-type dessert, great for a hot afternoon. It is really simple, but it is best made early in the day, so that you have time to freeze and re-freeze the jasmine tea snow, ready for serving later in the day.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 2 cups caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 tablespoon jasmine tea leaves
• 12 very small or 6 medium peaches or nectarines
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Method

1. Place sugar and 2 pints water in a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
   
2. Stir in the tea leaves, remove from heat and leave to steep for 5 minutes.
3. Strain syrup into a clean pan and bring to a simmer over low-medium heat.
   
4. Add peaches, zest and juice.
5. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until peaches are just tender.
6. Remove pan from heat and cool peaches in syrup. Transfer cooled peaches to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed.
7. Strain syrup into a shallow metal tray and freeze for 2 hours or until partially frozen. Using a fork break up the mixture and return to the freezer.
8. Repeat twice more at hourly intervals or until mixture has frozen into crystals.
9. To serve, peel peaches, then place 2 peaches (or 1 medium peach) in each glass and spoon in some jasmine tea.
   

This recipe is by Sophia Young from the Vogue Entertaining and Travel magazine.