peaches and creampuffs

It has been a long, rainy summer in New York, and it feels most days like the weather skipped from April to August in about 6 hours, and we missed those beautiful months of May and June where you actually feel like it was worth it to brave another New England winter.

Unfortunately, this year, not so much. I've been so absorbed with wedding planning that it felt like summer passed in a blink, and while last year I treasured the arrival of new fruit and vegetables every week at the farmer's market, this summer it only finally hit me when I picked up our CSA basket and found peaches.

Peaches.

Peaches mean the END of summer. Stone fruit is what you eat right before summer fruits are *gone* and you're in that fleeting moment before fall breaks in and you realize it's back to months of cold and snow and coats and boots, and did I mention it comes right after stone fruits? I think I've developed a peach phobia, because I'm not ready for fall just yet.

But if I had to make a recipe with those luscious, foreboding peaches, I would choose this one. Light and fresh, perfect to cap off a summer barbecue or serve with an impromptu cocktail with friends. If we have to take summer out with a bang, I'd send it on its way, grudgingly, with this dish.

Peaches and Creampuffs

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick, cut into pieces)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

2 large peaches, sliced into wedges

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp peach liqueur (substitute lemon juice if necessary)

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine the peaches, peach liqueur and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl. Set aside and allow to macerate while you make the creampuffs.

For the creampuffs, combine water, milk and butter in a medium saucepan, bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Add the flour and whisk until blended. Remove the mixture from the heat, and beat in eggs one at a time until well blended.

Pipe the batter into small round circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the creampuffs for 8 minutes at 400 degrees, and then lower the heat to 375 degrees and wedge the oven slightly ajar with a wooden spoon. Bake for an additional 12 minutes, remove and allow to cool. While the creampuffs are baking, whip 1/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup heavy cream to soft peaks.

Cut each creampuff in half. Spoon about 2 tbsp of whipped cream and 2 tbsp of peach wedges into the middle of each. Top with the remaining half, and serve.