Melba Peach
White peaches poached in vanilla syrup, laid over vanilla ice cream, with a sharp vivid raspberry purée and a scatter of toasted almonds. This is Escoffier's original recipe, created at the Savoy in the 1890s for opera singer Nellie Melba. It's a desserts that looks like barely any effort and tastes completely extraordinary.
Ingredients
- 4 white peaches ripe
- 500 ml water
- 500 gr caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod split and scraped
- 250 raspberries fresh
- 50 gr icing sugar sifted
- 4 scoops vanilla ice cream
- 30 gr flaked almonds
Instructions
Make the vanilla syrup
- Combine 500 milliliters water and 500 grams caster sugar in a wide saucepan with the 1 vanilla pod, split and scraped. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
Peel the peaches
- Pee the peaches, halve them and remove the stones.
If the skin doesn't come off easily, you can score a small cross in the base of each peach. Lower them into boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer immediately to ice-cold water.
Poach and chill the peaches
- Place the peach halves cut-side down in the simmering syrup and poach gently for 8–10 minutes, until just tender but still holding their shape. Remove with a slotted spoon, ladle over a little syrup, and leave to cool completely. Refrigerate until properly cold.
Make the raspberry purée
- Press 250 grams fresh raspberries through a fine sieve to remove the seeds. Stir in 50 grams icing sugar, sifted to taste. The sauce should be smooth, vivid red, and sharp. Keep chilled.
Toast the almonds
- Toast 30 grams flaked almonds in a dry pan over medium heat until lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
Assemble and serve
- Place a large scoop of vanilla ice cream in a chilled coupe or dessert bowl. Arrange two cold peach halves alongside. Spoon the raspberry purée over the peaches at the table and scatter with toasted almonds.
Notes
- Escoffier's recipe calls for white peaches specifically. Their flavour is more delicate and perfumed than yellow. But obviously, yellow ones are fine too!
- Multiple sources confirm there is no whipped cream in the original Peach Melba, including a direct quote from Le Guide Culinaire page 851. However, it does sound tasty and you won't hurt the honor of Escoffier if you do.
- The syrup is equal parts water and sugar by volume which is richer than standard. And don't throw it away after you poached your peaches! It's beautifully perfumed with vanilla and peach. Bottle it, refrigerate it, and use it in cocktails or with sparkling water over ice.
- The raspberry purée is raw, don't cook it. Raw keeps the colour vivid and the flavour clean and bright. The Escoffier museum in Villeneuve-Loubet confirms it was always "purée de framboises fraîches."
- The almonds. Confirmed by Marco Pierre White's account in White Heat, which draws directly on Escoffier's method, you should scatter the almonds, don't pile them.
- The peaches need at least 2 hours in the fridge after poaching, ideally longer. Everything should be cold: peaches, purée, bowls if you can manage it. The contrast between cold fruit and cold ice cream is what makes it special.