Brandied Peach Cream Cheese Shortcake

Maybe it comes from a long-held love of a traditional sherry trifle but I have always been personally partial to boozy desserts. Aromatic liquors or sweet intensely flavoured liqueurs add a new dimension to many desserts and a real sense of celebration to any occasion. Combined with my love of sweet summer peaches, this made a terrific take-along contribution to a recent get together with friends that everyone raved about. 

Using cake flour along with the addition of cream cheese to the shortcake batter makes for a light, texturally perfect base to this simple but scrumptious dessert.

This is still a great simple summer dessert for tee-totalers if you want to leave out the brandy, especially if you have fresh, perfectly ripe, sweet juicy peaches.

 Brandied Peaches

10 large fully ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

4 ounces of brandy (rum or bourbon are also good)

Toss the peach slices in the brandy, cover and let sit for an hour or two before putting together the shortcake. Toss the peaches a couple of times during this time.

Cream Cheese Shortcake Base

 

For the shortcake bottom, cream together well:

3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1  tsp vanilla

Add, one at a time:

2 eggs

Sift together:

1 cup cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

Gently fold dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.

Bake in greased and parchment lined 10 or 11 inch tart pan or springform pan at 325 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

Beat together to firm peaks:

2 cups whipping cream

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 rounded tbsp icing sugar

To construct the cake, place the cooled cake layer on a cake plate, drain the brandy off the peaches and sprinkle it over the surface of the cake. Arrange the peach slices in a circular pattern over the cake and top with the vanilla whipped cream.