Baked raspberries with amaretti biscuits

The first time I had this dessert was about five years ago in the Dandenongs, served to me by my beautiful friend and very brilliant cook, Kirsty. All the weekend, she made me meals that I copied into my first exercise book of handwritten recipes. It is one of my most important food memories because, for the first time, I realised food could be an emotional experience and, hence, would have a very important place in my life.

At the time, I wasn’t such an experienced cook, so this recipe was, and still is, very precious to me. It is definitely what Antonio Carluccio would classify as an MOF – minimum of fuss, maximum of flavour – also what I call a ‘boy’ dessert – no measuring, no whisking, no delicate baking techniques whatsoever. Guys, it’s so easy, you could probably make it under the watchful gaze of a young lady you fancy and maintain relative composure!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 3 cups (375 g) fresh or frozen raspberries, or 4 not-quite-ripe peaches, halved, stone removed
• 4–5 tbsp brown sugar
• 16 amaretti biscuits
• 80 g good quality salted butter, cubed into 8 pieces
• Vanilla ice cream/ yoghurt/ crème Anglaise

METHOD

• Heat the oven to 180°C (170°C fan forced).
• Pour the raspberries into a small baking dish (around 20 x 20cm, or 15cm in diameter), or the peaches skin side down in a baking dish.
• Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the fruit. Using your hand, crush and sprinkle the biscuits over the raspberries, breaking any larger chunks, as these will burn quickly.
• Distribute the butter evenly over the dish of raspberries or pop a cube of butter on each peach half. Bake for about 20 minutes.
• The raspberries should be bubbling and become quite syrupy and the biscuits a dark golden brown. Some like their peaches a little firmer but I love them when they have completely collapsed into a gooey mess.
• Serve hot with vanilla ice cream, yoghurt or crème Anglaise.

Perfect comfort food…mmmmm...

Recipe from Poh's Kitchen.