Notes: For a finale to a BBQ we hosted on Sunday, I abandoned the idea of a peach pie as there wasn't time to make pie dough and ended up baking some peaches instead. The huge, juicy fruit was skinned, then tossed in a mixture of butter and brown sugar, then sprinkled with juice and liqueur. I made the frangipane in the food processor, then placed lumps of it in the peach cavities. While they baked, I made a creme anglaise to go with the peaches. Twice. Unfortunately, I let the mixture boil the first time, and scrambled the eggs. Whoops. The second time around, I used a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. When things got past 190°F, I took the pot off the heat, but the mixture was still very runny. I wonder whether you have to heat the custard more gently for a longer period of time for it to thicken? I'll have to dig out my copy of On Food and Cooking and see what McGee says about custards. Anyway, this dessert was both hit and miss. While the warm fruit, aromatic frangipane and creamy sauce were sublime together, I also didn't like the mild tartness of the peaches, nor the overly firm baked centre and runny accompaniment. Perhaps one mistake was leaving the dessert in the turned-off oven while we ate?
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