Some people peel the skin from the peaches before processing them, but this is not necessary. They remove the skin after covering the fruit in boiling water for a couple of minutes, which helps the skin come away easily. As the Co-op often sells cut price peaches at this time of the year, it’s worth thinking ahead and bottling them in brandy ready for the festive season. This recipe (first published in 2015) is so easy that the only thing you have to worry about is the price of the brandy.
To fill one 2 litre jar or several smaller jars you need:
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3 or four large, ripe peaches
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4oz (100g) caster sugar
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1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
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16 fl oz brandy.
Method:
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Slice the peaches into quarters, and gently arrange them in a wide necked jar, with a layer of the sugar between them.
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Place the vanilla pod into the jar.
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Pour brandy over the peaches, taking care to allow it to sink to the bottom of the jar, shaking the jar gently when it is full to enable to sugar to begin to dissolve.
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Store in a cool dark place until the festive season, having given it a gentle shake once a week.
Serve as a festive treat, with a glass of the juice which is infused with the vanilla and peach juice and therefore particularly tasty.