I wanted to combine peaches and chocolate in a dessert, but felt dark chocolate would be too bitter and milk chocolate would simply not work. I reasoned if I were careful to make sure neither the white chocolate filling nor the peaches were too sweet I would have a winner. So give it a try and let me know what you think.
4 Ripe peaches
150g (6oz) S.R. flour
175g (4oz) Caster sugar
100g (4oz) Unsalted butter
2 Large eggs
1 vanilla pod
½ teaspoon baking power
250ml (½ pint) W.cream
2 egg yokes
200g (8oz) white chocolate
1 dessertspoon vodka*
1.)Preheat oven to 230 C gas mark 6 and grease and flour two 7inch cake tins.
Cream 100g (4oz) butter with sugar and add the seeds from half of the vanilla pod.
When the mixture is very light and fluffy gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time.
2.)Now whisk in 50g (2oz) grated white chocolate.
3.)Sift the flour together with the baking power and fold the flour in with a spatula, being careful not to knock all the air out. Divide the mixture between the cake tins and bake on the middle shelf for 12-15 minutes. Turn out the cake layers on to a wire rack and allow to cool.
4.)Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones, sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar then bake cut side down at the bottom of the oven until tender (about 30 minutes), when the peaches are cool cut each half in two.
5.)Heat 150ml of the cream in a non-stick saucepan together the remaining seeds from the vanilla pod. Whisk the hot cream into the eggs yolks then return to a clean pan and cook carefully, stirring constantly over a medium heat until its coats the back of your spoon.
6.)Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and whisk in 150g (6oz) of melted white chocolate (melt the chocolate carefully using short 20 second bursts in the microwave). Whilst the mixture is still warm whisk in 75g (3oz) of softened butter a little at a time and the vodka.
Separately whisk the remaining whipping cream and fold in when the chocolate mixture is cold.
To assemble
Spread just over half the chocolate mix onto one of the cake layers then top with the other. As neatly as you can spread the remaining chocolate mixture on the top of the cake and then decorate with the roasted peaches.
Chef's Tip
If you don't have two 7" cake tins you could use one larger cake as I have done in the photo. I also choose to spread all of the chocolate mix on top of the cake, rather than making in a sandwich. The purpose of the *vodka is to cut the richness of the chocolate but you can leave it out if you wish.