Peach Puzzle…(Magic Recipe)

This recipe has a unique technique and beautiful presentation; it's like making a pineapple upside-down cake but the result is different. Place the empty small cup in the middle of a pie plate, after it's done baking, flip the pie plate; the syrup will be separate from peaches and biscuit dough and all the syrup will go down into the cup! You will have the dipping bowl in the center of the peach ring and biscuit crust.

Peach Puzzle tastes good, not too sweet but not delicious. The peaches and biscuit don’t have a lot of flavor but the syrup is yummy and it helps. It’s seems like a lot of work, but I asked myself why don't I just make syrup and use frozen biscuit and canned peaches, haha. I like the idea and had fun with it.

I made peach puzzle using the full recipe but cut down the peaches for my small family. Peach Puzzle is good the first baking day; leftovers will be soggy.

Serves: 7

Peaches and Syrup:
7 medium peaches (neither very ripe nor rock-hard)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional


Dough:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose-flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
6 tablespoons cold milk


Directions:
1. Before peeling the peaches: Place the peach into boiling water for 45-60 seconds to loosen skin. Transfer peach immediately into a bowl of ice water. Remove skin with paring knife or your fingers.


2. For peaches and syrup: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place 6-ounce ramekin upside-down in center of 9-inch pie plate and arrange peaches around ramekin.

Combine brown sugar, water, butter, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in medium sauce pan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolved, about 5 minutes. Pour syrup over peaches.


3. Making dough: Place cold butter into bowl with flour mixture, rub between fingertips until mixture turns pale yellow and coarse. Using rubber spatula, fold milk into flour mixture, pressing mixture against sides of bowl to form dough. Squeeze dough together and flatten into disk. On lightly floured work surface, roll dough into 9-inch circle.

4. To assemble: Lay dough directly over peaches and press dough so that it fits snuggly around peaches. The dough will stretch as you fit it around peaches, but do not attach dough to pie plate. Bake until top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let Cool for 30 minutes.


Peach Puzzle after done baking.


5. To serve: Place large flat plate over top of pie plate and quickly invert Puzzle onto plate. Cut into wedges around each peach and serve, pouring syrup over each portion. Serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

**Don't flip Peach Puzzle when it is very hot because the biscuit will break and the syrup will not end up in the ramekin.**

1-2-3 flip…MAGIC!!


ahh…perfect!!!


It’s better to cut the peach in half before serving, makes it easy to eat.


This recipe is from Lois Schlademan of Stow, Ohio. She won the $10,000 grand prize in cook’s country contest. Thank you, Lois for sharing your great idea.

Read more about peach puzzle history at www.cookscountry.com

Thai version at http://www.kruaklaibaan.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=35067