I’ve always been a bit of a baker. The kitchen has always been what I consider the heart of the home and almost every occasion whether it is happy or sad is better with freshly baked goods.
This is a fantastic recipe for making with kids because it’s relatively easy and when you put it all together in the pan it looks like somebody threw up which is absolutely hilarious, apparently.
To be honest it doesn’t really look much better baked but it is seriously delicious. I chose this photo because it gives you an idea of the lusciousness of the final product much better than a photo of what looks like baked sick. If you think I’m exaggerating you should Google it. Even the Food Network can’t make a Peach Cobbler look photogenic. I’ve been experimenting with reducing the amount of sugar in things I bake after having Gestational Diabetes in my last pregnancy opened my eyes to how much sugar we are consuming without realising. I don’t want to depress you, but it’s A LOT. So anyhow, I’ve set about making things less sugary when I get my bake on as now that I’ve had GD I’m twice as likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes and this is one of my first **lower sugar winners. I even do a vegan version for my sister-in-law who has a milk allergy and it’s (almost) as good.
**this recipe is not suitable for Gestational Diabetes, it is just a lower sugar version of a classic dessert. For information on Gestational Diabetes and the best foods to eat and sample menus please visit www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk there is also an excellent support group on Facebook.
Ingredients:
1 punnet (approx 6-8) peaches – firmer is better than really ripe
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
8 tbs butter or vegan margarine
1 1/2 cup self raising flour
1/4 cup granulated sweetener. I like Truvia which is made with stevia.
1 1/2 cup milk or coconut milk
optional secret weapon ingredient:
1 tsp orange blossom water – this has a gorgeous delicate flavour that dances on the tongue with fruit and creamy flavours. I get mine at our local deli but it’s also available from most bigger supermarkets online.
You can also swap the peaches out for apricots or nectarines OR jazz it up by doing half berries or cherries.
Method
Preheat oven to 175 C or 300 F.
Slice peaches and combine in a saucepan with maple syrup, water, ginger and cinnamon. Heat on the hob until bubbling then leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
Combine self raising flour and sweetener in a bowl then slowly add in milk, stirring constantly to smooth lumps then add orange blossom water last.
Melt the butter and pour into a deep baking dish. The next few steps require almost no skill – ABSOLUTELY NO MIXING WHATSOEVER – and they are also when it all starts to look really gross. So, this is a good time to call your younger kids in to “help”. I use this one by Le Creuset. Pour the flour and milk batter over the top without mixing it in. The butter will pool at the edges (this is a good thing). Pour the fruit and syrup from the saucepan over the top of the batter as evenly as you can without too much effort and do not stir. Pop in the oven and set the timer for 35 mins. If the top isn’t quite golden yet give it another 5 mins.
Serve warm with cream, ice cream or custard (or vegan custard).
