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Peach Puzzle - WINNER




Source of Recipe


Lois S., Ohio


Recipe Introduction


Choose peaches that are neither very ripe nor rock-hard. They should give a little when squeezed. Be sure to invert the pie plate quickly to avoid losing any of the syrup. Serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.



List of Ingredients




---Peaches and Syrup

7 medium peaches , peeled (see note)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

---Dough

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
6 tablespoons milk


Recipe





1. For the peaches and syrup: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place 6-ounce custard cup or ramekin upside down in center of 9-inch pie plate and arrange peaches around ramekin. Combine brown sugar, water, butter, vanilla, and salt in medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts, about 5 minutes. Pour syrup over peaches.

2. For the dough: Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in food processor until blended. Add butter and pulse until flour mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal, five to six 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl. (To make dough by hand: Use large holes on box grater to grate frozen butter into bowl with flour mixture, then rub flour-coated pieces between your fingers until flour mixture turns pale yellow and coarse.)

3. Using rubber spatula, fold milk into flour mixture, pressing mixture against sides of bowl to form dough. Squeeze dough together and flatten into disk. On lightly floured work surface, roll dough into 9-inch circle. Lay dough directly over peaches and press dough so that it fits snuggly around peaches. The dough will stretch as you fit it around peaches, but do not attach dough to pie plate. Bake until top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on rack for 30 minutes.

4. Place large rimmed serving plate over top of pie plate and quickly invert Puzzle onto plate. Cut into wedges around each peach and serve, pouring syrup over each portion.


This special family recipe—sent in from Lois Schlademan of Stow, Ohio—won the $10,000 grand prize in our Lost Recipes contest.

WHY THIS RECIPE WON: Our grand prize-winning recipe has all the abracadabra of a magic trick as well as beautiful presentation and all-around good taste. It deserves a place alongside cobbler and crisp in the pantheon of simple American fruit desserts.

RECIPE HISTORY: One-of-a-kind family recipe created by Lois's mother in the 1940s.

UNIQUE TECHNIQUE: This unlikely recipe begins by placing a custard cup upside down in the center of a pie plate. Peeled peaches are arranged around the cup and then drizzled with a mixture of brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. Buttery biscuit dough is domed over the peaches, and then this puzzling dessert goes into the oven. Once cooled, the pie plate is flipped over to reveal tender peaches nestled into the flaky biscuit. So where's the butterscotch-like syrup? It's all in the cup!

WHAT OUR WINNER SAYS: "When you pour a spoonful of syrup over the warm peach and it soaks into the biscuit crust, you will think you died and went to heaven-where, when greeting my mom, she would be pleased that it was her recipe that made you come visit!"