Barefoot Contessas Fresh Peach Bellinis Recipes

Steps:

• Place the sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
• Fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Add the peaches and cook for between 15 seconds and 3 minutes, just until the skins peel off easily. (Ripe peaches will be ready sooner.) Transfer the peaches to a bowl of cool water, peel and cut in wedges into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, discarding the pits. Puree the peaches completely and pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Whisk the sugar syrup, Grand Marnier and vanilla seeds into the peach puree. Place the dish uncovered on a level shelf in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until it begins to crystallize around the edges. Scrape the entire mixture, including the edges, with the tines of a fork and freeze for another 30 minutes. Continue freezing and scraping every 30 minutes, until the mixture is soft-frozen. It should take 2 to 3 hours to freeze and will be good to serve for up to 4 hours afterward. If the mixture gets too frozen, allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, and scrape it again with a dinner fork. Serve frozen in glasses.

Steps:

• Place the peaches, lemon juice, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth.
• Press the mixture through a sieve and discard the peach solids in the sieve.
• Place 2 tablespoons of the peach puree into each Champagne glass and fill with cold prosecco (sparkling wine).
• Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar for 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, then the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until the batter is smooth. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon.
• Spread half of the batter evenly in the pan. Top with half of the peaches, then sprinkle with two-thirds of the sugar mixture. Spread the remaining batter on top, arrange the remaining peaches on top, and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture and the pecans.
• Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Puree the peaches in a blender until smooth.
• If the peaches are really ripe this should happen without a problem; but if they are not that ripe peel and slice them, place them in a bowl and sprinkle them with a Tbs or so of sugar. Let it sit for 10 min or so to draw some of the juices from the peaches and add a little sweetness.
• Pour puree into a bowl and chill until ready to use.
• Mix 2 oz of peach puree with 4 oz of Champagne, stir to combine and serve in chilled flutes.
• You can also combine the two in a pitcher, mix and serve (we found this a little easier for our large group).