Peach Paradox

[CastIronCook2]

OK, Grizzy (and everybody else), here's one for ya, in thanks for the Tres Leches Coconut and because fresh local peaches are now in season. This is original with me; it's from our cookbook (see backwoodshomecooking.com, page 2, "Cast Iron Cuisine"). Let me know how it works for you.

PEACH PARADOX

If you can’t decide between pudding and cake but like the flavors of cheesecake and of peaches, try this dish. It eats like a light cake on the top, but inside, it resembles spiced peaches topped with a cheesecake-flavored pudding.

½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1¼ cup flour
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 fresh peaches
2 eggs
¼ cup white sugar
1 cup light sour cream
2 teaspoons baking powder

In a small bowl, sift brown sugar, cinnamon, and ¼ cup of the flour. Cut in softened butter until mixture is crumbly and pea-sized. Distribute this mixture into two portions. Spread one of these portions evenly across the bottom of a 7” wide, 1¾ quart casserole.

Slice two fresh peaches and distribute slices on top of the butter/sugar mixture.

Beat 2 eggs until light and fluffy. Beat in white sugar, then add sour cream and beat entire mixture until light, fluffy, and free of lumps.

Sift reserved 1 cup flour with the baking powder. Add to the moist mixture and again, beat until free of lumps.

Pour batter over peaches, then sprinkle reserved butter/sugar mixture on top of the batter.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake topping comes out clean.

Serves 4-6.

CIC2

[CastIronCook2]

I should warn you that if the neighbors smell this baking, they're going to walk right in and sit down, fork in hand, and watch you with big puppy-dog eyes.

[Grizzy]

Hey CastIronCook2 :)

I know a Bear who's going to just LUB this recipe!!! I'm going to try it and see how it works for me as soon as I get some fresh peaches... Oh Thank You for this!!! This will probably be on my Thanksgiving Dessert list!

~Grizzy~

[AzLoneRider]

My wife made this tonight for dessert... It was delicious. Thanks for posting the recipe!!

[CastIronCook2]

Thanks for the feedback, AzLoneRider. That's one of my originals, so it's good to hear opinions from the field.

[Quietgentleman]

Thank You Thank you Castironcook2

I doubled this recipe and cooked it in a dutch oven while out camping this past weekend. It was a wonderful success and I became the dutch oven expert that night. The peaches were fresh off my sisters tree and well it was one of the best desserts I have had in along time. The only thing missing would of been some fresh made ice cream to go with it. This recipe has become a keeper in my growing dutch oven recipe file. And thanks again for sharing this recipe.

Quietgentleman

[CastIronCook2]

QuietGentleman, where did you put the dutch oven: in the ground, on a campfire, on a stove? This is wonderful feedback from the field, and when we go to reprint with our book, "Cast Iron Cuisine from Breakfast to Dessert," I'd like to quote you, if I may.

Also, now that we know it works while camping, we'll include it in our next book, which is going to be "Cast Iron Cuisine Outdoors."

Thanks for the wonderful input!

[Quietgentleman]

I have 2 old discs that I have welded a pipe coupler to and a pipe that screws into the couplers. I use this for cooking with my dutch ovens. I used a 12in oven and put 17 charcoal cubes on top and 11 on the bottom. It took about 50 minutes for mine to get done but I think that was due to the coal burning down. Or it could just be because I doubled the recipe. Next time I do it I might add a few fresh coals about half way through the cooking to maintain the temperature. I should of had my sister take a pic of it before we devoured it all.


QGM

Sure you can quote me and next time I do it and it turns out as nice looking as this one I'll take a picture and share it with you.

[momma_to_seven_chi]

That sounds so yummy. I made peach cobbler tonight because the inlaws came for supper. But the peach paradox recipe just looks like it would be wonderful. I will try it next week.

[CastIronCook2]

I have 2 old discs that I have welded a pipe coupler to and a pipe that screws into the couplers. I use this for cooking with my dutch ovens. I used a 12in oven and put 17 charcoal cubes on top and 11 on the bottom. It took about 50 minutes for mine to get done but I think that was due to the coal burning down. Or it could just be because I doubled the recipe. Next time I do it I might add a few fresh coals about half way through the cooking to maintain the temperature. I should of had my sister take a pic of it before we devoured it all.


QGM

Sure you can quote me and next time I do it and it turns out as nice looking as this one I'll take a picture and share it with you.

Oh, I would like that very much! Your contraption sounds very inventive. Could we get a pic of that too?

[CastIronCook2]

That sounds so yummy. I made peach cobbler tonight because the inlaws came for supper. But the peach paradox recipe just looks like it would be wonderful. I will try it next week.
Momma, the top of this will remind you of a light, fluffy cobbler, but it's the interior, which turns pudding-like with a cheesecake flavor, that carries the day.