Ingredients
FOR THE SHORTCRUST PASTRY
FLOUR 00
500 gr
CASTER SUGAR
170 gr
SOFT BUTTER
120 gr
LATTE
50 ml
BAKING POWDER
12 gr
EGG
3
LEMON
1
SALE
q.b.
FOR THE STUFFING
HAZELNUT SPREADABLE CREAM
q.b.
FOR THE FINISH
ALCHERMES
300ml approx
CASTER SUGAR
q.b.
MINT LEAVES
q.b.
Sweet peaches are round pastries which recall, in appearance and colour, the homonymous summer fruit which is the protagonist of countless recipes . These are crumbly hemispheres of biscuit dough, slightly hollowed out inside and then stuffed, two by two, with a voluptuous custard or chocolate cream ; once filled, they are soaked in alchermes and then rolled in granulated sugar: for a very delicious and scenographic dessert to be garnished, for an extra touch, with a leaf of green sugar paste , food wafer or fresh mint.

Also known as fake peaches, or alchermes peaches, the liqueur that gives it their characteristic pink colour, they are a traditional dessert that is particularly widespread, with slight variations on the theme, in Abruzzo, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany where, especially in the city of Prato, they are made with a softer dough based on brioche dough . We have tried to remain as faithful as possible to the original version and have packaged them with a soft pastryadd a pinch of baking powder, then shape into lots of lightly flattened balls of 20 g each and place in the oven at 180°C for a few minutes. For an impeccable result it will be important to empty the biscuits obtained in the center while they are still hot: in this way they will not crumble and they can then be enriched with a hazelnut spreadable cream , as in this case, or with other favorite fillings.

Once ready, you can arrange the peaches on a tray and serve them at the end of a special lunch, for a festive buffet or for a Sunday brunch with friends. Or you can bring them to the table at snack time together with a cup of fruit infusion and other delicious mignons .

Find out how to prepare sweet peaches by following the procedure and advice step by step. If you liked this recipe, also try the Zuppa Inglese , Salami del Re , or Raviole Bolognese .

How to prepare sweet peaches

Step 1
Collect the sifted flour with the soft butter cut into pieces, the eggs, the grated lemon zest, the baking powder, the milk, the sugar and a pinch of salt in the bowl of the planetary mixer
1
.

Step 2
Work with the hook until you get a soft and homogeneous mixture
2
.

Step 3
Take portions of the dough of 20 g each and form many balls slightly flattened at the base
3
.

Step 4
As they are ready, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper a few cm apart
4
.

Step 5
Place the tray on the middle shelf of the oven and cook the biscuits at 180°C for around 15 minutes. Once the time has passed, take them out of the oven and, using a teaspoon, dig them slightly in the center
5
when they are still hot.

Step 6
Fill each peach half with a teaspoon of chocolate cream
6
.

Step 7
Compose the peaches by pairing them with another biscuit
7
.

Step 8
Immerse them for a few moments in alkermes
8
so as not to soften them too much.

Step 9
Drain them well and pass them in the granulated sugar
9
.

Step 10
Distribute the peaches in the paper cups and garnish them with a fresh mint leaf
10
.

Step 11
Arrange the sweet peaches on a serving platter
12
, bring to the table and serve.

Advice
To save time, you can prepare the hemisphere biscuits even 3-4 days in advance and then assemble the peaches a few hours before the guests arrive: resting in the fridge will in fact intensify their flavour, making them even tastier and more fragrant.

For “white peaches” you can soak the pastry with a limoncello flavored syrup , or you can play with the filling by opting for your favorite filling : fruit jam, mousseline cream ,  pistachio paste , cocoa Chantilly …

If you want to recreate the nut effect, you can place a whole almond in the center of the cream or, to save a few minutes, you can put the biscuits in the oven by placing 1/2 of the nut shell on the base: after cooking, simply remove it and the biscuits will be ready to be filled.

storage
Sweet peaches can be kept in the fridge, in an airtight container, for a maximum of 1-2 days .