Just Peachy

Growing up in a diabetic household, we rarely ate desert. And when we did have an after dinner sweet, it was often fruit or recipes that Mum had adapted to have less, or no, sugar. Unlike these days where supermarket shelves seem to be full of sweet-tasting sugar-free products, in the 1970s and 1980s these products were hard to find--if they existed at all! Consequently, I find many deserts too sweet for my not-so-sweet tooth, even those made from scratch following traditional recipes. The sweetness often seems to overpower any other flavours.

This recipe is a delicious low sugar recipe from a favourite Mennonite cookbook of mine: More-with-Less Cookbook. It is sort of like a cross between peach pie and a light cheesecake, and relies on the sweetness of the peaches to tempt the tooth. When peaches are in season, it's heavenly. Even with canned or preserved peaches, it's divine. I usually make it with yogourt instead of sour cream. Sliced peaches work just as well if you don't have halves.

Peach Kuchen
Serves 6

1 ½ cup unbleached flour
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
½ cup butter or margarine
8-12 peach halves, canned or fresh
¼ cup sugar (or honey or maple syrup)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 egg beaten
1 cup sour cream or yogurt

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and 2 tbsp sugar. Cut in butter. Pat mixture into the bottom of a 9” pie dish or flan pan. Place peach halves on top of pastry base, open side down. Mix the ¼ cup sugar with the cinnamon, and then sprinkle this mixture over the peaches. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 F.

Mix together the egg and sour cream or yogurt. Pour over baked peaches and bake for another 30 minutes.