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.
131 K 3.9/5 (24 reviews)
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Last modified on: September 9th 2012
For 18 people, you will need:

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Times for this recipe
Preparation: 2 hours 20 min.
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Step by step recipe


Stage 1 - 2 hours
Peach Melba
Prepare 9 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
Proteins (gr)Carbohydrates (gr)Fats (gr)Energy value (in k-calories)Energy value (in k-joules)
Whole recipe530 RDI=200 %4,900 RDI=460 %1,580 RDI=240 %20,100 RDI=1,010 %84,150 RDI: 1,010 %
Per 100 g20 RDI=6 %140 RDI=10 %50 RDI=7 %590 RDI=30 %2,460 RDI: 30 %
Per person30 RDI=10 %270 RDI=30 %90 RDI=10 %1,120 RDI=60 %4,680 RDI: 60 %
The % figures are calculated in relation to the Recommended Dietary Intake , or RDI of 2,000 k-calories (or 8,400 k-joules) per day for a woman Change to a man
Possible allergens in this recipe: Milk, egg
How much will it cost?
  • For 18 people : 19.55 €
  • Per person : 1.10 €

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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 cream
Vanilla ice cream

You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Profiteroles, Little caramelized peach tarts, Baked Alaska, Ice-cream Vacherin, Poire Belle Hélène, ... See them all 5

Chantilly cream
Chantilly cream

You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: European glass, Mini Mont-Blanc choux puffs, Rum babas, Apple charlotte with toasted brioche, Strawberry Verveine Tart , ... See them all 30

Fruit coulis (fruit purée)
Fruit coulis (fruit purée)

You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Fillings for macaroons, Macarons (the original French macaroons) , Apricot fool, Framboisier, European glass, ... See them all 11

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