The calendar may have turned to September, but we still have plenty of fresh peaches and nectarines around here. I must say that I’ve been inundated with peaches this summer. So much so that it’s been a bit of a challenge to come up with enough good uses for them. Tough problem to have, huh?
With great recipes for cobbler and cookies and bars already in the books, I opted to go a different route this time with a buckle. My last CSA haul included both peaches and nectarines, so I decided to use a combination of the two. You can, of course, use just one or the other.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a buckle is a bit like a cross between a cake and a cobbler. There’s usually a cake-like layer along with fruit on top or mixed into the batter. Then, it’s covered with a crumb topping. Often, the weight of all the fruit will cause the cake to buckle.
Not only is this recipe a perfect use for all of those peaches and nectarines I had on-hand, it is also a great excuse to bake in my beloved cast-iron skillet. Its rustic feel is just the thing for both baking and serving this beauty.
This buckle has a lovely, delicate cake-like texture with plenty of peaches and nectarines stirred right in. The crumb is a simple one, consisting of cinnamon, sugar, and almonds. I just love the visible specks of cinnamon-sugar on top! This is one of those magical baked goods that can easily be eaten for breakfast, dessert, and anything in between.
Peaches and nectarines can, of course also be used in savoury dishes, particularly salads, with rich cheeses such as burrata and with ham, pork and duck. With salads I’d be inclined to go for a lush white with some tropical fruit flavours – a Viognier or a Colombard, maybe.
Reading up on peach recipes, I fully expected that most, if not all of them, would include a line mentioning that nectarines could be substituted, since a nectarine is a sort of smooth-skinned peach. But almost none of them did.
A peach slump is the kind of pie you throw together – lumpy biscuit dough spooned over sweetened, sliced peaches and then baked – but it is just as delicious as more presentable desserts. When the slump comes out of the oven, you invert it on to a serving dish so that the crust ends up on the bottom. This recipe uses American cups, but don’t let that get you down – pick an average-sized mug from the cupboard and eyeball the fractions. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall does an anglicised version, but he doesn’t flip it over at the end, which technically makes it a peach grunt.
So, I guess it falls to me to offer this obvious advice: you can use nectarines in recipes that specify peaches, and vice versa. If you want to make nectarine melba, be my guest. If you want to use peaches in Dan Lepard’s nectarine strudel, I will not stop you (and neither, I suspect, will he).
The juicy fruits can be switched in recipes, so there are a wealth of options now that they are at their peak
Truly the simplest treatment you can give a peach is a good roasting – a few minutes under a hot grill to concentrate the flavour. Clare Ptak roasts peaches halved with vanilla, raspberries and sweet white wine, which you could probably manage on a barbecue of a summer night, when everything else is cooked and the coals are still hot.
Peach and Nectarine Buckle
Peach and Nectarine Buckle is a lovely, delicate, cake-like dessert with a sweet cinnamon-almond crumb.
- 1 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 & 1/2 pounds peaches and/or nectarines, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons sanding sugar*
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet.**
- Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until combined. Fold in the peaches and nectarines.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared skillet and spread evenly.
- Mix the sanding sugar, cinnamon, and almonds together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of batter.
- Bake 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before serving.
*I do love how sanding sugar looks on baked goods, but you can certainly use granulated sugar instead. **You can substitute a 9-inch square baking ban or a 2-quart shallow baking dish.
What is the Difference between Peaches and Nectarines | Produce Made Simple
FAQ
What is a good combination with peaches?
What pairs well with nectarines?
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Herbs and Spices
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Nectarine
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Allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, mint, nutmeg
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Orange
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Basil, black pepper, cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, ginger, mint, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, poppy seed, rosemary, saffron, sage, star anise, tarragon, thyme
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Should peaches and nectarines be refrigerated?
What are peaches and nectarines called?
What can you eat with Peaches and nectarines?
Try Peaches and Nectarines in These Recipes! Served warm with ice cream and whipped cream, is one of the best summer desserts ever. Delicious with sparkling wine, or substitute with sparkling water to make it kid-friendly. A dazzler of a salsa, savory and sweet all at the same time. A custardy batter forms a moist cake surrounding fresh peaches.
What two fruits are crossed to make a nectarine?
It is often said that the nectarine is a mixture of peach and plum, however, this is not the case. The nectarine is a fuzzless peach. It is very sweet, and its name means sweet like nectar.
Can you mix peaches and nectarines in a fruit pie?
Feel free to use all peaches or all nectarines; there’s no right or wrong no matter the combination. A luscious fruit pie whether you use just peaches or just nectarines, but combining both at their peak ripeness, is sensational. — Patricia Rain Place all of the ingredients for filling in a large mixing bowl and stir gently to combine.
Can you use Peaches instead of nectarines in compote?
Ripe peaches can be used in place of the nectarines; choose whatever looks (and smells) best. The compote here is a reminder that the tomato is a fruit, and its natural sweetness plays up that of peach. The combination is great with juicy curry-rubbed pork. Fruit, cheese, and nuts are a winning combination.