Victorian Peach Recipes

From 'The Dictionary of Daily Wants' - 1859

PEACH FRITTERS. - Make a thick batter composed of six eggs well beaten, three-quarters of a pint of cream, a little yeast, a glass of white wine, half a glass of ratafia, and a little orange-flower water; add a little grated nutmeg, and as much flour as may be necessary; cut half a dozen peaches into thin pieces, mix with the batter, which must be then covered over, and set near the fire for three-quarters of an hour, drop the batter into boiling lard, and fry to a good colour. Strew sugar over them when served.

PEACH MARMALADE. - Peel and cut ripe peaches and put them into an iron saucepan, with three-quarters of a pound of sugar for every pound of fruit, taking care that they do not burn; stir them frequently, and when nearly done, take the kernels, which have been previously put aside and blanched, and add them to the marmalade; put the mixture into pots, covering the tops with white paper, dipped in brandy, and tying over with paper, or thin parchment.

PEACH RATAFIA. - Take four quarts of pale French brandy, two quarts of peach juice, and juice and two pounds of powdered sugar; remove the kernels, put them into a cloth, and press them by a hand press; add the juice from the kernels to the above mixture, and when the whole has stood together for five or six weeks, in a closely-covered jar, filter it off, and put it into bottles. If it be not convenient to press the kernels, put them in a bottle with some brandy separately, having first chopped them well up or bruised them, and when, the ratafia is decanted, add the brandy in which the kernels have been steeped.

PEACHES PRESERVED. - Take some peaches which are nearly ripe, peel them, cut them in two, take out the kernels, and blanch them a little; boil them gently in syrup, and leave them in it till the next day; then take them out and let them drain; afterwards, boil the syrup thoroughly, put the fruit into it and let them simmer for a short time, after which put them into bottles. The quantity of syrup put into the bottles, should be about equal to the bulk of the fruit. If they are to be preserved in their green state, they must be peeled and the kernels taken out, preserving the form of the peach as much as possible. Blanch them over a moderate fire, in plain water; then take them out and put them into cold water; drain them, and boil them gently in syrup. After a little while remove them irom the fire, and allow them to become cold; boil them again until the syrup becomes very thick, then bottle. To preserve them in brandy, wipe and pick the fruit, and have ready a fourth of the weight of fine powdered sugar. Put the fruit into an ice-pot which shuts quite close; throw the sugar over it, and then cover the fruit with brandy, between the top and the cover of the pot put a piece of double whity-brown paper. Set the pot in a saucepan of water till the brandy be quite hot, without boiling. Put the fruit into a jar, pour the brandy over it, and cover as in ordinary preserves.

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