Peach Cookies or Pesche

It’s that wonderful time of year when there is an abundance of fresh fruit available so why not make the most of it?! Peaches are a favorite of mine, not only because of their great taste but they have such versatility in their uses. Just for something different today, I want to take the peach idea in a whole different direction. These beautiful, old fashioned pastries were very popular in the 1980’s. They are known for their unique look that resembles a fresh peach with a flavor that is delicately sweet and buttery. Traditionally served at Italian wedding showers, Pesche (or peach), are now served at any celebration and may be found throughout many countries in Europe.

Peach cookies are two cookie domes, carved on the inside and paired together to hold a dollop of custard. Once assembled, they are dipped in Alchermes, a crimson colored liqueur infused with a blend of anise flowers, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, jasmine, mace, nutmeg, orange peel, sugar and vanilla. These ingredients are stepped in alcohol, which is then flavored with rose water. Alchermes gives these pastries a vibrant pink hue and a unique, light alcohol flavor that combines custard and cookie beautifully. To further enhance the peach resemblance, they are rolled in a sanding sugar.

Alchermes is a very ancient liqueur of Arabic origin. It’s main feature is an unmistakable scarlet color, which was originally acquired by adding ‘kermes’, a scale insect that eat oak trees. Modern alchermes liqueurs no longer use the kermes insect. Alchermes was created in the Frati’ Convent at Santa Maria Novella in Florence, Italy.

These peach cookies are an impressive dessert, perfect for special summer occasions. You can use any filling you choose such as a pastry cream, lemon curd, limoncello or just plain nutella spread. Since it is almost impossible to find the alchermes liqueur in Canada, I’ve listed a few substitutes that can be used instead.

Print Recipe

Peach Cookies or Pesche

Votes: 2
Rating: 4.5
You:

Rate this recipe!

Course

dessert

Cuisine

American, European, Italian, Middle Eastern

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 Tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• zest from 1/2 of a lemon

Filling

• 1/2 cup peach preserves
• 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 100 grams cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Coating

• 85 gram (pkg) lemon gelatin
• 85 gram (pkg) peach gelatin
• 85 gram (pkg) strawberry gelatin
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Mint leaves

Course dessert Cuisine American, European, Italian, Middle Eastern Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Cookie Dough 1 3/4 cups flour 1 Tsp baking powder 1/4 cup sugar 1 large egg 3 Tbsp milk 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 tsp pure vanilla zest from 1/2 of a lemon Filling 1/2 cup peach preserves 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped 100 grams cream cheese, softened 3/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground cardamom Coating 85 gram (pkg) lemon gelatin 85 gram (pkg) peach gelatin 85 gram (pkg) strawberry gelatin 1/2 cup sugar Mint leaves

Votes: 2 Rating: 4.5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

Cookie Dough

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, sift flour & baking powder. In another bowl, whisk egg with sugar until combined & fluffy. Whisk in milk, melted butter, vanilla & lemon zest until well combined. Gradually add flour mixture into wet ingredients until incorporated & a soft dough is achieved. Form the dough into 16-20 small balls; place on baking sheet & press slightly on top to flatten a bit.
3. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven & cool on wire rack until cool enough to hold. With a sharp small knife remove the middle of the cookie forming a small hole. Reserve crumbs for filling.

Filling

1. In a small bowl, combine filling ingredients; stir in reserved crumbs. Spoon into center holes of cookies & press together to form a peach.

Coating

1. In a shallow bowl, combine lemon & peach gelatin powder. Place package of strawberry gelatin in another bowl. Place sugar in a third bowl.

Assembling

1. Working with one cookie at a time, spritz cookie with a bit of water. Dip in lemon mixture, then in strawberry gelatin & then in sugar. Spritz with additional water & add more gelatin as needed to create desired 'peach blush' effect. Place on a wire rack to dry for an hour. Attach mint leaves to top of each cookie with additional preserves. Store in refrigerator.
2. 

Recipe Notes

• Alchermes can be substituted for a peach liqueur or Chambord raspberry liqueur. For my peach cookies, I kept it simple & used a combination of jello powders to replicate the traditional idea.