Caramelized Peaches in Brown Sugar & Rum Sauce

I got 99 problems, but a peach ain't one.

Late summer is the time when beautiful, ripe peaches make their way to our tables from the orchards of the sunny Okanagan. Blush-coloured and fuzzy and heavy with juice, peaches are the ultimate summer fruit, almost bursting with sweetness. When summer temperatures soar, you can make this easy dessert on your barbecue to avoid heating up your kitchen, as I did here.

It it's too hot outside to cook, you can whip up this dessert on the BBQ!

Slice up your peaches and sauté them in butter, brown sugar and rum. Leave the skin on if you like it. Spoon them, still warm, over creamy vanilla ice cream. The sugary rum sauce melts the ice cream, providing the perfect foil for the slightly spiced peaches. To change it up, serve the peaches and sauce over waffles or french toast for a decadent brunch. 

Spoon over vanilla ice cream and slurp 'em up!

Caramelized Peaches in Brown Sugar & Rum Sauce Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

4 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup butter
6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons dark rum or bourbon
Vanilla ice cream

Method 

In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add sugar and vanilla and stir until dissolved. Add peaches and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Add rum and cook until sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Spoon peaches and sauce over vanilla ice cream.

This column first appeared in Stimuli Magazine. Check out my column

'Just Desserts' for more sweet and delicious recipes!