Peach Melba


Peach Melba
Peach Melba is a famous dessert created in 1893 by an equally famous chef, Auguste Escoffier, and inspired by the singer Nellie Melba.
There have been many versions of this well-known dish but, in principal, it consists of vanilla ice cream, poached peaches, raspberry coulis and sweetened whipped cream (Chantilly). This is a simplified version.
114K 24 3.9
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Last modified on: September 9th 2012

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For 6 people, you will need:

Change to the quantities for: 2 people 3 people 6 people 12 people 18 people
How long does it take?
Time required for this recipe:
PreparationStart to finish
2 hours 20 min.2 hours 20 min.
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Step by step recipe


Stage 1 - 2 hours
Peach Melba
Prepare 3 peaches: peel and poach them in the Poaching syrup.

Leave to cool then dice (not too small).

Prepare the Chantilly cream.

Stage 2 - 5 min.
Peach Melba
Begin assembling the peach Melba:

Place 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream in the bottom of each dish.

Stage 3 - 5 min.
Peach Melba
Add a layer of peaches.

Stage 4 - 5 min.
Peach Melba
Pour some raspberry coulis over.

Stage 5 - 5 min.
Peach Melba
Finish with Chantilly cream and serve immediately.
Remarks
There have been innumerable versions of peach Melba, and just as many strange uses of the term (who has not seen any-old-thing 'Melba', as soon as vanilla ice cream and whipped cream are involved). It's worth remembering that this is the original recipe.

It would be unusual to find the original recipe in most people's kitchens these days, so here's an extract from the master chef's own book 'Ma Cuisine':

Escoffier melba recipe

'Fill the dishes to three-quarters of their height with vanilla ice-cream; place half a tender-fleshed peach, poached in vanilla syrup, in the centre, the outside of the peach resting on the ice cream; place a stone made of praline marzipan in the hollow, giving the illusion of a real stone. Coat with raspberry purée with a little Chantilly cream added. Cover with a light veil of spun sugar.'

At the same time, I wonder if it's possible to taste the original dish anywhere now? Far from certain.

Even so, we can look out for the essential flavours (which chefs call 'markers') which should be present to get somewhere near the original: vanilla ice cream, poached peach, raspberry, praline marzipan and Chantilly cream.
Keeping
Does not keep.
Source
After Auguste Escoffier.
Nutritional information
Whole recipe
Energetic valueProteins CarbohydratesFats
1,895 Kcal or 7,934 Kj24 gr320 gr117 gr
95 %9 %30 %18 %
Per 100 g
Energetic valueProteins CarbohydratesFats
166 Kcal or 695 Kj2 gr28 gr10 gr
8 %1 %3 %2 %
Per person
Energetic valueProteins CarbohydratesFats
316 Kcal or 1,323 Kj4 gr53 gr20 gr
16 %2 %5 %3 %
% are calculated relative to a Recommended Dietary Intake or RDI of 2000 k-calories or 8400 k-joules by day for a woman (change to a man).
Possible allergens in this recipe: Milk, Egg
How much will it cost?
  • For 6 people : 6.50 €
  • Per person : 1.08 €

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Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Vanilla ice creamVanilla ice cream: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Baked Alaska, Ice-cream Vacherin, Profiteroles, Little caramelized peach tarts, Poire Belle Hélène, ... All
Chantilly creamChantilly cream: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Pavlova, Apple charlotte with toasted brioche, Millefeuille, Strawberry Charlotte, Chantilly rice pudding, ... All
Fruit coulis (fruit purée)Fruit coulis (fruit purée): You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Blackberry and almond fondant tart, Half-cooked chocolate cake with raspberry coulis, Apricot fool, European glass, Frozen Nougat, ... All
PeachPeach: You can check-out other recipes which use it, like for example: Peach and blackcurrant coupe, Peach and mint salad , Peach and blackcurrant sundae, Mojito peaches, Peach and green tea tart, ... All
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