Italian Stuffed Peaches (Pesche Ripiene alla Piemontese)

Ingredients

• 4 ripe peaches (yellow flesh (around 740g))
• 3.5 oz (100g) crunchy amaretti cookies (crushed (about 14 cookies))
• 3 oz (85g) 70% dark chocolate (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon (15g) unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing)
• pinch of salt ((optional))

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180℃/350℉ fan or 200℃/400℉ static. Grease your baking dish with butter. Crush your amaretti cookies into crumbs using a sandwich bag and rolling pin. Finely chop your dark chocolate.

2. 2

   Cut the peaches in half and carefully remove the stone. Using a small spoon, remove some of the peach flesh, leaving a border around the edge (about 1cm/ just over 1/4 inch). Place the peaches in your baking dish.

3. 3

   Put the peach flesh in a bowl and use a potato masher or fork to mash it into a pulp. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and mix until combined.

4. 4

   Add the crushed amaretti cookies and chopped dark chocolate and mix until everything is well combined.

5. 5

   Spoon the filling into the peaches, then dot each peach with a small piece of butter. I like to add a tiny pinch of salt to each, but that's optional.

6. 6

   Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the peaches are tender and the chocolate has melted. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.