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Authentic Peach Melba Recipe
London, England
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Peach Melba is a simple fruit dessert created by the legendary Auguste Escoffier. It is made with ripe peaches, vanilla ice cream, and a purée made with fresh raspberries. The first version was allegedly created in 1894 and came served in a swan carved out of a block of ice (pêches au cygne). In the center, the chef placed a silver cup filled with vanilla ice cream and topped it with poached and chilled peaches. He then decorated his creation with spun sugar. Escoffier allegedly first made the dessert for the renowned Australian singer Helen Porter Mitchell, who was better known as Dame Nellie Melba. It is believed that the dessert got its final form, which included the raspberry sauce, as well as the current name (pêche Melba)... Read more
Cooking tips
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ice cream
Although it would be best to use homemade vanilla ice cream, the recipe does not explicitly say so. Feel free to use some better-quality store-bought options but make sure you only use vanilla ice cream as other flavors might not work well in this combination. -
peaches
Ideally, this dessert would be made with Montreuil peaches—but since they are not widely available and are pretty scarce, you can replace them with other varieties. Escoffier recommends white-fleshed peaches, but many recipes use yellow peaches, which are generally more available. Some recipes even suggest the use of canned peaches, but these should be avoided. It is best to prepare this refreshing ... Read more -
poaching
There is some opposing information on whether the peaches should be poached or not. In Le Guide Culinaire (1903), Escoffier says to poach the skinned peaches in vanilla-flavored syrup and then to chill them before serving. In his memoir, the chef provides a more elaborate recipe where he skips this step and says that the peaches should be shortly blanched, then peeled, and sprinkled with sugar. Both ... Read more -
raspberry sauce
The raspberry sauce for this dish traditionally incorporates only fresh raspberries and sugar. Sieving the sauce to remove the seeds is mandatory. The sauce should be smooth and silky. The peaches and the ice cream should not be completely immersed in the sauce. Use the sauce lightly and only coat the peaches. -
optional
If you want to diverge from the original, garnish the dish with mint, slivered almonds, fresh raspberries, or whipped cream. You can also follow Escoffier’s suggestion and decorate it with spun sugar. -
variations
Modern takes on this dessert often use pears, apricots, or strawberries instead of peaches or replace raspberry purée with melted jelly. -
serving
Escoffier suggests using a silver dish, but as these might not be available, feel free to use glass cups or bowls. If possible, leave them in a freezer for ten minutes before you plate the dessert. -
lemon juice
After blanching and peeling, the peaches might turn brown. If you want to avoid this, you can brush the peaches with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Escoffier's Recipe for Pêche Melba
PREP 5min
COOK 10min
READY IN 15min
This recipe has been adapted from Escoffier: The King of Chefs by Kenneth James. The featured recipe was initially published in Escoffier’s memoir, where the chef claims that this is the original recipe for pêche Melba.
Ingredients
Escoffier's Recipe for Pêche Melba
6 tender, ripe peaches
150g (¾ cup) plus 2 tbsp of caster sugar
250g (2 cups) fresh raspberries
6 scoops (3 cups/1 1/2 pints) of vanilla ice cream
Preparation
1
Escoffier's Recipe for Pêche Melba
Step 1/9
Fill a large pot of water and put on high heat until the water gets to a boil.
Step 2/9
Blanch the peaches in boiling water for a couple of seconds. Remove them with a slotted spoon and immediately dunk them in a separate bowl filled with water and ice.
Step 3/9
After several seconds pull out the peaches and peel them. Cut the peaches in half, remove the pit, and sprinkle them with sugar. Let them chill in the refrigerator.
Step 4/9
As the peaches chill, make the raspberry purée by blending fresh raspberries. It is best to use a hand mixer or a blender.
Step 5/9
Sieve the purée through a fine-mesh strainer and mix in the powdered sugar. Whisk the mixture until the sugar is fully incorporated and the purée becomes smooth. Refrigerate the sauce until serving.
Step 6/9
Plate the dessert in a silver bowl. Divide into six servings.
Step 7/9
First, scoop the ice cream and top it with peach halves. Finish the dish by covering the peaches with the chilled raspberry purée.
Step 8/9
Optionally: sprinkle each serving with slivered almonds or decorate it with spun sugar.
Step 9/9
Serve the dish immediately.
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