Some peachy ideas for you to enjoy all summer long

Peaches are a favorite fruit for many people, and this time of year, they are so perfectly juicy and flavorful.

Here are a few ways you can enjoy baking with peaches … if you can stop eating them cold and perfect from the fridge, that is. 🙂

Blueberry-peach shortbread bars

3 cups plain flour

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1 c cold butter, cut into cubes

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 peaches, pitted and thinly sliced

2 cups blueberries (fresh, or frozen, not thawed)

Method:

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, spices and salt. Add the butter cubes, and using your fingers, rub into the flour until you have a nice, crumbly mixture.

Add the vanilla and egg, and work into the mixture.

Place 3/4 of the crumbly mixture into a greased 9×13 pan, pressing very firmly to cover the bottom completely. You don’t want it to be crumbly now, you want a firm crust.

Next, place sliced peaches and berries on the crust.

Then, cover fruit with remaining 1/3 of the mixture. Bake at 375 for about 28-35 minutes (just until lightly browned in your oven; times may vary slightly).

Cool completely before cutting into bars. (I made these today on KLTV and KTRE … here is the link to the video!)

Peaches and Cream French toast casserole:

Ingredients:

3-4 cups sliced peaches (fresh, or 2- 15oz. canned peaches)

1 – 8oz loaf of French bread, sliced

8 eggs

2 cups 2% or whole milk

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 to 1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Spray or butter a 9×13′ casserole dish. Arrange bread slices in the bottom, as tightly fitting as possible.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whish together all eggs and milk, then add sugar and vanilla. Whisk until dissolved.

3. Pour egg mixture over bread, and then arrange peach slices all over then top, distributing evenly.

4. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, then cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours.

5. Remove baking dish from fridge and uncover 30 mins prior to baking.

6. In the meantime, place 1/2 cup cream in a sauce pan, and simmer until reduced by half.

7. Pour the thickened cream over the casserole, and then bake, uncovered, for about 45 – 55 minutes at 350 degrees F.

8. Let stand for ten minutes before serving.

Mama Steph’s blueberry-peach coffee cake

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or ¼ tsp almond extract, if you prefer, or a blend of both)

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups blueberries, rinsed, picked over and drained (thaw and drain first if using frozen berries)

1 small to medium sized peach, halved, pitted, and cut into slices

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (or spray with Baker’s Joy) a 9-inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper. Alternatively, use a 9-inch spring form pan, and grease and flour the inside of pan.

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of flour with baking powder and salt; set aside.

2. Using a mixer, beat the butter on medium high speed for 2 minutes. Then add the sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about a minute more.

3. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until well blended. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour, beating until smooth, but don’t over-beat. A minute should be adequate.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

5. Combine the berries and peaches with a teaspoon of flour and the lemon juice in a bowl. Spread the fruit mixture over the top of the cake, arranging in a pretty fashion.

6. Bake on middle rack in oven at 350°F for about an hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

7. Use a butter knife to slide around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Transfer the cake to a cake plate, berry side up.

Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar before serving, or drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze, or even with maple or blueberry syrup at breakfast. It would also be perfect with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert!

Enjoy!