Raspberry-Glazed Peaches with Honey Cashew Cream

Man oh man, do I have a summer dessert recipe for you!!

Fruit is one of my favorite food groups; however, by itself I've always kind of felt it's a cop-out dessert. I love the stuff, but in order to satisfy my sweet tooth I need to have it alongside something a bit more rich.

Something like this fruity, syrupy sweet take on baked peaches, served with a heap of light, filling honey cashew cream.

Raspberry-Glazed Peaches with Honey Cashew Cream
(adapted from Food & Wine, makes about 10 servings)


For the peaches:
  -  5 large peaches, halved and pit removed
  -  3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
  -  3 tablespoons honey
  -  1/2 pint fresh raspberries
  -  1/4 cup raspberry jam or preserves
  -  2 tablespoons water

For the cashew cream:
  -  2 cups raw unsalted cashews
  -  1/4 cup honey
  -  1/2 cup water

Place cashews in a bowl, cover completely with cold water and let soak, covered, overnight. Drain off excess water and thoroughly rinse cashews, then transfer to a blender with honey and water. Bland until all cashew chunks have dissolved and a creamy consistency has been reached.

Preheat oven to 425*F. Lay peaches flat side down in a baking dish prepared with non-stick spray. In a small bowl, combine butter and honey, then pour it generously over the peaches. Bake for 15 minutes, flipping once.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, bring raspberries, jam and water to a boil; stir until all raspberry chunks have dissolved. Strain into another bowl using a colander to remove large seeds, then pour mixture over peaches and bake for another 15 minutes, flipping once.  Remove from oven and serve warm with cashew cream and a few spoonfuls of glaze.

In my mind, this is the perfect summer dessert. Nothing is more reminiscent of this season than fresh peaches, and combined with the buttery raspberry sauce, it's pretty much incredible.

Also, this was my first time making cashew cream, and while the idea used to intimidate me,  I'm amazed at how easy and delicious it is. Generally this kind of recipe would be paired with a mascarpone or homemade whipped cream, but the cashew and honey flavors really complemented the peaches and raspberries and made for a more nutritious cream that's just as delicious.

Happy eating- and happy Friday!

What's your favorite fruit-based dessert? And what's one food you've made recently that intimidated you?