griddled peaches with basil & salted pistachio brittle

Give us this all day every day. It really ticks all the boxes for a summer dessert: light, refreshing, quick, easy, reasonably healthy and SO SATISFYING. This can literally be whipped up in a matter of minutes and it's the perfect end to a big fat summer feast. Enjoy!xx

photos by Rebecca Crawford

ingredients.

4 peaches (still firm to the touch) cut in half and de-stoned 
2 tbsp brown sugar
small bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked

For the cardamom cream:
100 g creme fraiche 
100 g mascarpone 
1 heaped tsp ground cardamom 
½ tsp vanilla bean extract 

For the pistachio brittle: 
oil for greasing 
150 g caster sugar 
2 tbsp runny honey 
½ tsp rosewater
40 g shelled, roasted but unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped 
sea salt

steps.

1. First make the pistachio brittle: lightly grease a small baking tray. Add the sugar, honey, rosewater and 4 tbsp water to a small saucepan, set over a medium heat. Bring to the boil and allow to caramelise without stirring for 5-7 minutes, until the mixture is a rich golden brown colour.

2. Pour the hot mixture onto the prepared baking tray. Sprinkle immediately with the pistachios and salt. Set aside to cool and set.

3. For the cardamom cream: Whisk together the crème fraîche, mascarpone, vanilla and cardamom. Set aside in fridge. 

4. Heat a griddle pan until it’s smoking hot. Sprinkle the cut side of the peaches with a little brown sugar and place the peaches cut side down into the pan. Griddle for 2-3 mins until griddle marks appear and the peaches begin to soften slightly. Remove from the heat. 

5. To serve: Arrange the peaches and basil on a big platter, dollop over the prepared cardamom cream (if the cream is too runny, whisk for 3 mins to stiffen it up). To finish crumble over the pistachio brittle.