I love baking these little Italian pastries, “pesche alla crema” because they were my mum’s favourite pastries and being in the kitchen preparing them just reminds me of her… My mum had a very sweet tooth, like me, and in the last moments spent together I used to bake often these peaches just to brighten up her mood..
As you can see this is a slow rise recipe, but if you don’t have enough time you can substitute the dry yeast with 25 grams of fresh yeast. You will have the peaches ready in less then 2 hours, but the day after they won’t be as soft and fresh like the slow rise ones…
Custard peaches~Pesche alla crema
Ingredients
- For the dough
- plain flour: 250 grams
- Canadian flour or strong bread flour: 250 grams
- unsalted butter or lard softened : 50 grams
- salt: 10 grams
- caster sugar: 50 grams
- dry yeast: 5 grams
- water lukewarm: 170 grams
- medium eggs: 2
- the grated zest of an organic orange
- For the custard
- whole milk: 500 grams
- caster sugar: 125 grams
- flour or potato starch or cornstarch: 60 grams
- medium eggs: 3
- the zest of 1/2 a lemon the whole piece
- For the syrup
- water: 400 grams
- caster sugar: 150 grams
- Alchermes or other liqueur: 100 grams
- the zest of 1/2 a lemon the whole piece
- For the decoration
- red glacè cherries: 5
- mint: 10 leaves
- granulated sugar
Instructions
- Start the evening before preparing the dough. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and set aside for 15 minutes until big bubbles come on the surface.
- Put in the bowl of a stand mixer, with the dough hook, the flours, the sugar, the slightly beaten eggs with the salt and the orange zest. Star mixing and slowly add the water/yeast mixture.
- When the dough is well combined add the butter and wait until you have an elastic and soft dough.Transfer it on the floured worktop and knead it to form a nice and smooth ball. Put it into a big bowl slightly floured, cover with cling film and set aside in a warm place overnight.
- The day before prepare also the custard: put the milk with a spoon of sugar and the lemon zest in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring it to a boil.Meanwhile beat the eggs with the sifted flour (or corn/potato starch) and the remaining sugar. Once the milk is hot get rid of the zest then pour the milk over the egg mixture and whisk well on medium heat until the custard thickens.Transfer it into a clean bowl, cover with cling film and let it cool down at room temperature. After set into the fridge.
- Prepare the syrup boiling for 15/20 minutes the water with the sugar and the lemon zest. Remove the zest and let it cool down completely. Add the liqueur, cover with plastic wrap and put into the fridge.
- The day after put the dough onto the floured worktop, knead it a little then form about 20 little balls (3 cm Ø). Put them on a tray lined with parchment paper and cover with a tea towel until they will double their size.Cook into the preheated oven at 180 °C for about 10 minutes, they should be slightly golden.
- Once the little balls will be cold cut the bottom with a knife, press the inside with your finger to make room for the filling.Mix the custard with a balloon whisk, put it into a piping bag with a round nozzle and fill the balls, then stick them together to form a peach.
- Soak the peaches for few minutes into the syrup, roll them in the granulated sugar and decorate with half a cherry and a mint leaf.
