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question about that summer torte...

17 years ago

dumb question from me...:-) Should I peel plums or peaches first?

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Comments (16)

doucanoe
17 years ago
I didn't peel my peaches. Can't see any reason to peel plums, either.

Linda
stacy3
Original Author
17 years ago
thank you Linda!
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Comments (6)
Here's a recipe that I make in an 8" square pan, but it is not very similar: Cherry Cream Crunch Cherry pie filling:* 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup sugar 2 cups fresh pitted cherries 2 tablespoons cornstarch Crust: 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup sifted all purpose flour 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 cup flaked or shredded coconut, unsweetened 1 cup granola (or oatmeal or rice flakes**) 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Lemon filling: 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 can (15 oz.) sweetened condensed milk 1 tbsp grated lemon rind 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice Combine sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, stir, add cherries, and let sit for at least 6 hours, stirring occasionally. Drain off and reserve cherry syrup. Combine a small amount of syrup to cornstarch to make a paste, then stir cornstarch paste back into syrup. Pour mixture into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the drained cherries. Cool before using. Crust: Cream butter in a large mixing bowl; gradually add brown sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Sift flour, salt and cinnamon; add to butter mixture. Stir in coconut, granola, and walnuts. Press 2-1/2 cups of crumb mixture into bottom of ungreased 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. Lemon filling: Prepare the lemon filling by combining the slightly beaten eggs, sweetened condensed milk, grated lemon rind, and fresh lemon juice. Stir until mixture thickens. Remove crust from the oven and spread with lemon filling. Spoon the cherry pie filling over the lemon filling and then sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture. Return to oven and bake at 375 degrees 15 to 18 minutes or until delicately browned. Chill before serving. May be served topped with whipped cream. Serves 9 to 12. *You can substitute 1 can (1 lb 4 oz.) of canned cherry pie filling **If using oatmeal or rice flakes instead of granola, increase brown sugar to 1/2 cup. I adapted this recipe from Orowheat Bakery's cookbook, Cooking with Gourmet Grains from the 1970s.
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lindac
17 years ago
I can't stand to get peach skin in my mouth...nectarine or plum skin is OK...but not peach!
But if you don't mind peach fuzz....
User
17 years ago
Stacy I wouldn't peel the plums but like Linda I don't like peach fuzz and would never eat a peach that wasn't pealed. Cooked or uncooked. If you are making this to serve to guests I would peel the peaches.

Ann
stacy3
Original Author
17 years ago
thanks Linda and Ann - that makes sense.
jude31
17 years ago
I haven't made the torte yet but, interestingly enough, the peaches we get anymore are not fuzzy like they used to be. After you wash and dry them they are relatively smooth and I eat them unpeeled....something I would never have done when they were fuzzy.
punamytsike
17 years ago
Maybe you have nectarines instead of peaches. They taste pretty much the same except no fuzz. I never buy or eat peaches, just nectarines, exactly for that reason.
jude31
17 years ago
Nope, I know peaches.
shaun
17 years ago
Jude your peaches are just bald!

Stacy thanks for asking the question I always wondered too!
compumom
17 years ago
Jude, I agree, the average peach isn't as fuzzy as it used to be. I had to always wash and eat it wet so I didn't taste the fuzz! I think the Saturn (doughnut) peaches are still pretty fuzzy though. I love nectarines and truth be told, I prefer it to a peach!

DH is in love with the new black velvet apricots. They'd look great in a tart!
shaun
17 years ago
I'm in love with the Ranier Cherries. Just had them for the first time this week. Already gone thru two containers of them and bought another one today. Somebody Stop me!
compumom
17 years ago
Shaun, I'm loving them too!
jude31
17 years ago
Shaun, you may be right...however they're not shiny like "bald" usually is:-). And I love Ranier Cherries too, but to coin an old phrase..."they're higher than a cat's back". I usually buy a small handful at a time. I just went to Fresh Market today and if I hadn't just eaten, some of them would have come home with me. We love the Brioche from there also and so far what I've made is not as good. They display their produce etc. so well.... it makes you spend money for sure. Of course I'm all about food and if I didn't have to deal with canning tomatoes in salsa or something tomorrow I'd make that torte. We have fresh peaches from SC.
jojoco
17 years ago
I've never peeled fruit, peaches or otherwise, for this torte. With peaches, however, I think it would depend on your local fruit. I just had a peach tart from Stork's in Queens, and the peaches were not peeled. The skin was a bit thick, but still wonderful.
doucanoe
17 years ago
I have found that once peaches are cooked/baked, there really is no more "fuzz".

Guess peach fuzz has never bothered me.

Linda
msventoux
17 years ago
Stacy, thanks for asking this. I made it last night and didn't know, so went ahead and peeled the peaches and plums. I think peeling the plums was a waste of time (and fruit!!) in the end. The peaches were pretty fuzzy, so I might continue to peel them.

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