Vanilla Poached peaches

I love giving food gifts. It might have something to do with the fact that I love receiving them. And homemade but nicely packaged always seems to do it for me. I love the tender blush of white peaches and if they're slightly on the not sweet enough side, this method of poaching with vanilla sends them into the truly rapturous category.

I used 4 Onyx and 4 Ivoire peaches, the Onyx being paler with more creamy colour whilst the Ivoire exemplified "blushing peach". Once stripped they looked and tasted similar, which is akin to what Michael Jackson kept signing about in "Black & White"-underneath we're all the same. Except he is most definitely an Onyx white peach!

Vanilla Poached peaches

• 8 firm, perfect white peaches

• vanilla extract, bean or paste

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup water

Step 1 - Blanch whole peaches in boiling water for 1 minute until skin starts to shrink away from flesh. Remove with slotted spoon carefully

](https://images.notquitenigella.com/images/vanilla-poached-peaches/a-peaches_onyx_ivoire.jpg)

Step 2 - When cool enough to handle, peel skin off and cut in half. If you have "cling" peaches where the seed sticks to the flesh, do not remove the seed until later as it will come out easier.

Step 3 - Over medium heat, dissolve sugar in water and boil for 5 minutes until syrupy with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste. Once syrupy, add peaches in and cook for 5 minutes. Cool in syrup to infuse vanilla. Remove seed.

Step 4 - Place in clean, sterilised* jar. Serve over thick yogurt or with a good quality vanilla ice cream.

• I sterilise jars the easy way, by sticking them in a hot oven for 5-10 minutes.
  

](https://images.notquitenigella.com/images/vanilla-poached-peaches/a-peaches_jar3.jpg)