PEACHES ARE OFTEN PAIRED WITH WINE in Italy – as an aperatif, I am partial to a peach bellini. I also enjoy them baked with a traditional almondy stuffing and served topped with a prosecco-flavoured zabaglione. Here is an effortless way to transform ripe peaches into a lovely dessert. If you don’t have any vin santo, use a aweet Marsala wine or a splash af Amaretto liqueur, Whatever you have to hand.

SERVES 4

• 100g granulated or caster sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 vanilla pod, slit open
• 100ml vin santo
• 50g unsalted butter, softened
• 8 firm but ripe peaches, stoned and quartered
• good-quality vanilla ice cream, to serve

Put the sugar water into a medium heavy-based saucepan (that will hold the peaches) over a medium-low heat.  Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and cook the syrup to a light caramel colour. Remove from the heat. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod directly into the pan and stir in the vin santo and butter.

Return the pan to a medium heat and stir the sauce until it is smooth. Add the peaches and cook for a few minutes until they have softened slightly but are still holding their shape. Take the pan off the heat.

Divide the peaches and sauce between serving bowls and top each one with a generous scoop of very cold vanilla ice cream.

Serve an once