Roasted Nectarines With Caramel Sauce

When you want an easy, special dessert that's absolutely delicious and pretty on the plate, try these Roasted Nectarines with Caramel Sauce. A favorite simple, seasonal fruit dessert.

Let's get right to this recipe for Roasted Nectarines with Caramel Sauce, and I can't wait to tell you about it.

I stumbled upon it in The Gourmet Cookbook, and I admit, it's a recipe I would normally have skipped right over, thinking that roasting stone fruits might be too fussy or just too simple to be any good.

What I discovered was a really delicious and accessible dessert using ripe summer fruit that's SO worth passing along. Next time you have a sweet tooth, try this wonderful recipe!

• Roasting fruit is an under-used technique, and why? It intensifies the flavor and makes fruit like nectarine halves fork-tender and fabulous.

• You'll make a simple caramel sauce to spoon over the top of the nectarines, one that's not cloyingly sweet thanks to pureed nectarine that get swirled in during cooking. This is an absolutely GENIUS step, and another reason this dessert is so special.

• A big scoop of vanilla ice cream is practically mandatory for this roasted fruit recipe. Don't skip this step!

There aren't many ingredients in Roasted Nectarines with Caramel Sauce, and all are treated simply so the clean nectarine flavor really shines through:

1. Butter: For smearing the inside of the baking dish so the nectarines don't stick when roasting. Use melted butter to make this task easier.

2. Nectarines: Two pounds, which is roughly 7-8 nectarines that are about the size of a tennis ball. You'll cut 6 of them in half, remove the pit and roast them, add them to a large bowl. The rest get chopped, cooked down a bit, and pureed in a blender or food processor, then swirled into the caramel sauce.

3. Salt: Just a little fine sea salt bit to really bring out the flavors.

4. Sugar: You'll need 3/4 cup sugar to melt over moderate heat.

5. Heavy Cream: For that silky texture.

6. Lemon juice: Just a teaspoon to brighten things up, it also keeps the sauce from being overly sweet.

7. Fresh Mint: The leaves are so pretty on the plate, how can you resist?

8. Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped Cream: Either will work, but a good quality vanilla bean ice cream is highly recommended.

Make the Caramel Sauce

Making caramel sauce at home may sound like a scary and hard process, but that's definitely not the case in this recipe. You won't need a candy thermometer or any special equipment to make this easy and really delicious caramel sauce.

Here's what you do:

1. Add the sugar to a medium sized non-stick saucepan.

2. Heat the mixture in a heavy saucepan to melt the sugar over moderate heat while stirring it occasionally with a wooded spoon until it bubbles and turns a golden caramel color, around 4 minutes.

3. Add the cream, lemon juice and the nectarine puree, and continue to stir with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

4. Tip! When you add the cream, lemon juice and nectarine puree, the caramel will harden and steam very quickly, and will get really lumpy too. Don't worry! This is totally normal, so just continue to cook the mixture on medium heat, stirring until the lumps smooth out and so the mixture doesn't burn, another few minutes, just keep a kitchen towel handy!

5. Cover and set aside to keep the sauce warm until ready to use.

This Roasted Nectarines with Caramel Sauce recipe isn't complicated, and here's how you make it:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375F, then place the pitted nectarine halves in a glass baking pan that's been smeared with a little butter to prevent sticking. Roast the fruit for 20 minutes, until soft but still firm. It may have a slight char or browning, and this is fine.

2. Chop the remaining nectarines to make a nectarine puree, by cutting them into small pieces and cook them down in a saucepan or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, using a wooden spoon to help crush the pieces of fruit. Cook until very soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

3. Add the sugar over moderate heat to a non-stick saucepan and let it melt in the pan while you stir it occasionally. Cook until it becomes bubbly and golden, around 4 minutes. Add the cream, lemon juice and nectarine puree to the sugar and cook and stir until the lumps melt down and the mixture is syrupy, about 3 minutes on medium high heat.

4. To serve, spoon a drizzle of caramel sauce on the plate and two roasted nectarine halves on top, add a scoop of ice cream, a little more sauce, and serve.

5. The fresh mint sprigs are optional, but makes for a pretty presentation.

FAQ’s

Can I use peaches instead of nectarines?

Yes, they would be just as good! Use ripe, fresh peaches that have a little give to them when you squeeze.

Can I make the sauce in advance?

Yes, make the sauce up to 2 days ahead, store well-covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Can I save any remaining caramel sauce for something else?

Yes! It's awesome over vanilla ice cream, on waffles, pancakes and even plain yogurt!

Roasted Nectarines With Caramel Sauce

A simple and fabulous fresh fruit dessert that looks beautiful on the plate!

Course: Dessert

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Author: Adapted from Gourmet magazine

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 teaspoons Butter

• ▢ 2 pounds Nectarines, cut in half with pit removed

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Salt

• ▢ ¾ cup Sugar

• ▢ ½ cup Heavy Cream

• ▢ 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed

• ▢ Fresh Mint Leaves, for serving

• ▢ Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving

Instructions

• Preheat Oven to 375F, and prep the inside of a large glass baking dish by smearing it with the butter to prevent sticking.

• Place 12 of the nectarine halves in the prepared dish, cut side down in one layer, then place on the middle rack of the oven. Roast until soft but still firm, about 20 minutes.

• Chop the remaining nectarines into small (2") two-inch pieces, then place them in a non-stick skillet and cook over medium-low heat breaking them up as you stir with a wooden spoon.

  Cook until very soft, between 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor, add the salt, and puree until completely smooth.

• In a non-stick saucepan on medium-high heat, add the sugar and let it melt while stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until it becomes bubbly and a golden caramel color, about 3-4 minutes.

  Add the cream, lemon juice and the nectarine puree, stirring with a wooden spoon.

  At this point, the caramel will harden and steam very quickly, and will be quite lumpy. Don't worry! Continue to cook on medium heat until the lumps smooth out, about 2-3 minutes, stirring to make sure the mixture doesn't burn, then cover and set aside to keep warm.

  To serve, place a generous teaspoon of the caramel sauce onto the bottom of a bowl or plate, then top with two nectarine halves.

  Add a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream, and top with more caramel sauce plus fresh mint springs for garnish.

Notes

• Buy fresh, organic nectarines if you can.

• Use about 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce per serving.