Faux peaches with alchermes

Faux peaches with alchermes are beloved traditional pastries, especially in central Italy. They look like small peaches and are flavored with alchermes, a liquor that gives them that characteristic pink color and a unique taste. Here is how to prepare them:

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 500 g of flour
• 200 g of sugar
• 200 g of butter at room temperature
• 4 egg yolks
• A pinch of salt
• The grated zest of one lemon
• 1 packet of vanillin or a teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the filling:

• 300 g of pastry cream
• Syrup-soaked peaches (optional)

To soak:

• Alchermes as needed

For finishing:

• Granulated sugar
• Fresh mint leaves (optional, for decoration)

Preparation

1. In a bowl, mix the flour and sugar. Add the butter in pieces, the egg yolks, a pinch of salt, the grated lemon zest, and the vanillin (or vanilla extract). Knead until you have a smooth and homogenous dough.

2. Shape the dough into walnut-sized balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Slightly flatten each ball to give the shape of a half peach.

3. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 15-20 minutes, until golden. Let them cool completely.

4. Once the shells are cold, hollow them out a little with a teaspoon and fill each cavity with some pastry cream (and, if you like, a piece of syrup-soaked peach).

5. Join the two halves to form the peach and dampen them slightly in the alchermes.

6. Roll the peaches in granulated sugar to give them the “sugared” effect.

7. Let them dry on a rack, and if desired, decorate each peach with a mint leaf to mimic the leaf of the peach.

Curiosity

This delicious pastry mimics the appearance of a peach, a fruit much loved in Italy, and is often prepared for special occasions like weddings or holidays. Despite its name, it doesn’t contain fresh fruit, but its aroma and presentation are reminiscent of the idea of a juicy summer peach.