Peach Melba Muffins

I have been doing some seriously good seasonal baking this summer and now I am playing catch-up to get them all posted before summer - and her wonderful flavors! - are gone.

Have you gone peach-picking yet? It is one of my favorite parts of summer, and that is saying something because there aren't many (favorite parts of summer, not peaches. There are lots of peaches.) Biting into one fresh off the tree, hot from the sun and juice running down your chin and elbow. Oh, yes.

Then you take them home and have them for every meal! Peach pancakes! Peaches and cream! Peach slices! Peaches and yogurt! Peach muffins, cake, pie, (hand pies!), peaches with ice cream! Ed is making himself a bowl even as I type. Mmm.So here is one more way you can put a peach in your cake hole. Without checking wiki or something, "Peach Melba" refers to a peach-raspberry dessert made for an Australian celebrity (opera singer?) named Melba. And there is your history lesson for the day. Delicious!
Peach Melba Muffins (print recipe)
1 cup fresh raspberries or frozen unsweetened raspberries, unthawed
3/4 cup plus 2 T sugar
1 T berry liqueur, raspberry vinegar, lemon juice or orange juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
6 T unsalted butter, melted
1 cup milk
1 or 2 peaches, about 8 oz. each, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Coarse sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease 12 standard muffin tins or line with paper.

2. In a small bowl, toss the raspberries with 1 T sugar and liqueur/juice. Let stand for 30 minutes. This would be a good time to peel, pit and chop your peaches.

3. In a bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.

4. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, and milk until blended. Stir in the dry ingredients just until evenly moistened, no more than 15-20 strokes. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold in the peaches just until evenly distributed, no more than a few strokes. Take care not to break up the fruit. Do not overmix.

5. Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling it half full. Divide the raspberries among the cups, using about 1 T per muffin (2-3 raspberries), then cover the batter level with the rim of the cup. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 T sugar and the sliced almonds, dividing evenly.

6. Bake until golden, dry and springy to the touch, 25-30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the muffins. Serve them warm or at room temperature, with butter.

Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Muffins

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