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Grilled Peaches with Caramelized Brandy Pecan Sauce

Warm fruit desserts with ice cream are definitely satisfying. This one, with a delectable brandied pecan sauce, is a real winner. My friend (and fellow gourmand) Edward Eglowsky says he could have these peaches for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Here’s the recipe, Ed.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

PECAN SAUCE

3 tablespoons unsalted butter or nonhydrogenated butter substitute
3/4 cup pecan halves
1/3 cup amber agave nectar
3 tablespoons heavy cream or soy creamer
2 tablespoons brandy
1 tablespoon amaretto (optional)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

PEACHES

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or nonhydrogenated butter substitute, melted
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 large ripe but firm peaches, cut in half and pitted
Sinfully Rich Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (page 82), Soy Vanilla Ice Cream (page 83), or Skinny Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt (page 83)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan. Add the pecans and sauté over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant.

    Step 2

    Add the agave nectar, cream, brandy, amaretto (if using), and nutmeg. Stir and simmer until just slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. If necessary, the sauce can be reheated prior to serving.

    Step 3

    To grill the peaches, preheat the grill or grill pan. Make sure your grill is very clean and hot. Mix the butter and cinnamon together in a bowl. Brush each peach half on both sides with a bit of the melted butter mixture. Grill the peaches with cut-side down first, until slightly scorched by the grill on each side. Do not overcook or they will be mushy.

    Step 4

    To serve, place 2 peach halves on each serving plate and spoon some hot pecan sauce over them. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Reprinted with permission from Baking with Agave Nectar: Over 100 Recipes Using Nature's Ultimate Sweetener by Ania Catalano. Copyright © 2008 by Ania Catalano; photography © 2008 by Lara Hata. Published by Celestial Arts, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. Ania Catalano is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet School of Cooking in New York and the owner of the Gourmet Whole Foods Catering and Cooking School in Milford, Connecticut.
TagsFruit DessertDessertBrandyAlcoholBeveragesPeachStone FruitFruitPecanNutGluten FreeGrillingSummerCookbooks
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