“This is a classic dish made with just a handful of good quality ingredients resulting in a show-stopping dessert that your guests will oooh and aaah at. Or simply eat it by yourself in front of a good movie, or in the garden after a light lunch. Either way, give this one a shot.”

Serves 2
Cooking time: 1 hour; prep time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 really lovely, not-too-ripe peach
1 star anise
1 bay leaf
150g caster sugar
750ml water
1 punnet of good raspberries
Squeeze of lemon
2 scoops vanilla ice-cream (recipe below if you would like to make your own)

METHOD
Make a stock syrup by combining the water with 125g sugar, star anise and bay in a small pot. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer.

Cut the peach in half, add it to the syrup (including the stone) and leave to poach for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

To make the raspberry coulis, bring half the raspberries and the remaining sugar to the boil in a pot with a 2 tablespoons of the stock syrup. Then blitz in a liquidiser for 1 minute and add lemon juice to taste. Pass through a fine sieve and allow to cool.

Remove the peaches from the stock syrup and pinch the skin gently to remove it. Or use the tip of a knife, being careful not to damage the fruit.

To serve, spoon the coulis into the centre two plates. Place a scoop of ice-cream in the centre of the coulis and arrange a few raspberries around. Place the peach half on top of the ice cream, serve and enjoy the just-warm fruit with the cool ice-cream.

Makes just over a litre of vanilla ice-cream
500ml double cream
500ml whole milk
10 egg yolks
225g unrefined caster sugar
1 vanilla pod

Split the vanilla pod lengthways and discard the seeds.

Place the milk and cream in a thick-bottomed pan and add the vanilla pod. Bring to a high heat but do not let it boil. Turn off the heat for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy. Then gently pour in the hot cream/milk mixture, stirring all the time. Give the mix a good whisk.

Pour into a clean pot and place on a low heat. Stir with a wooden spoon for 5 to 7 minutes until it coats the back of the spoon and resembles a light custard. It shouldn’t taste overly sweet.

Pass through a fine sieve. Allow to cool, then churn in an ice-cream machine.