Linda Pugliese for The Wall Street Journal, Food Styling by Anna Kovel, Prop Styling by DSM

IF EVER THERE was a restaurant to inspire the home cook, it is London's River Cafe. Chef and owner Ruth Rogers takes the humblest, and highest quality, Italian ingredients and subtly draws out their essence, creating dishes that are best described as rich simplicity. Take her pesche al Moscadello. Ripe white peaches are poached briefly in an Italian dessert wine, then served whole or sliced at room temperature. Stop here, and you already have a perfect summer dessert.

But if you crave something a bit fancier, put aside a few spoonfuls of the liquid the peaches were poached in. Whip some cream with a dollop of crème fraîche for tang and the poaching liquid for sweet complexity, and pass it in a bowl as you serve the dessert. Ms. Rogers poaches the peaches in Moscadello, but a French Sauternes, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise or Californian Muscat works equally well.

If you don't devour every bit of sweetly spiked peach, save the leftovers. Top them with crushed amaretti cookies, pop them under the broiler for two minutes and serve with vanilla ice cream. The result is pure comfort, with the essence of summer in every bite.

—Aleksandra Crapanzano

Peaches in Moscadello With Boozy Cream

The recipe for the poached peaches was adapted from the River Cafe, London. The boozy cream makes a superb addition.


For the peaches:

1 bottle white dessert wine, such as Moscadello, Muscat or Sauternes

½ cup granulated sugar

3 vanilla pods, slit in half lengthwise

2½ pounds ripe white peaches

For the cream:

1½ cup heavy cream

½ cup crème fraîche

2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

What to Do

1. In a large non-reactive saucepan set over medium-high heat, simmer wine, sugar and vanilla pods, stirring to dissolve sugar, 5 minutes. Add peaches to liquid, bring back to simmer, then reduce heat to low and poach 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat, transfer peaches and liquid to a bowl and set aside to cool.

2. In a cold bowl, preferably stainless steel or copper, beat both creams with confectioners' sugar and 3 tablespoons peach poaching liquid until soft peaks form. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

3. Peel peaches, reserving poaching liquid. Remove vanilla beans from poaching liquid. Peaches can be left whole, sliced or halved, as desired. To serve, divide peaches and poaching liquid among six bowls. Transfer cream to another bowl and pass around the table.