Serves 4-6
The cream is essentially a traditional crème pâtissière, flavoured with fresh thyme. It is a great accompaniment to the poached peaches and a fantastic filling for cakes, pastries and ?clairs, too.
250g caster sugar
Pared zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 cinnamon stick
Few sprigs thyme
4 just-ripe peaches
150g raspberries
For the thyme cream
20g cornflour
125ml whole milk
200ml double cream
Few sprigs of thyme
½ vanilla pod
3 egg yolks
40g caster sugar
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1 Put the sugar into a heavy-based saucepan and heat over a moderate heat. As the sugar starts to dissolve, shake the pan, but do not stir, and cook until dark golden and caramelised.
2 Carefully pour in 500ml of freshly boiled water and stir with a long-handled wooden spoon. The sugar may solidify slightly, but continue to stir until it dissolves again. Add the lemon zest, cinnamon and thyme. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
3 Wash the peaches, cut in half and remove the stones. Immerse the peach halves in the caramel syrup in a single layer and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes, until the flesh feels just tender when pierced. Turn off the heat and remove the lemon zest, cinnamon and thyme. Stir in the lemon juice and raspberries and leave to cool.
4 While the peaches are cooling, make the thyme cream. Mix the cornflour with 2-3 tablespoons milk to a smooth paste. Pour the rest of the milk and 125ml cream into a pan. Split the vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds. Add the pod and seeds to the pan, along with the thyme. Bring to just below boiling point then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.
5 Put the yolks and sugar in a large bowl set on a damp cloth (to hold it steady) and beat until pale, thick and creamy. Add the cornflour and beat until smooth. Remove the vanilla pod and thyme from the infused milk and cream. Return to just below boiling point then gradually pour on to the egg mixture while whisking hard.
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6 Pour the mixture into a clean pan and bring to the boil, stirring continuously, until you have a very thick mixture. (It will turn lumpy; keep stirring and it will eventually smooth out.) Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to cool.
7 Whiz the mixture in a food processor until smooth then return to the bowl. Whisk the remaining double cream until softly whipped, then fold in. Serve the peaches and raspberries chilled or at room temperature with a spoonful of the cream and drizzled with the caramel syrup.