FRESH PEACHES WITH GINGER BISCUITS

Fresh Peaches With Ginger Biscuits image

Provided by COOKGIRl

Time 32m

Yield 12 biscuits

Number Of Ingredients 16

6 large ripe peaches (Or nectarines. You will need enough to make 6 cups, sliced)
2 tablespoons maple sugar (I used organic dark brown sugar) or 2 tablespoons raw sugar (I used organic dark brown sugar)
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons cold butter, cut up into small chunks
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped into pea-size chunks (I cut up the ginger into even smaller pieces using a very sharp knife)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk (plus 1-2 tablespoons if needed )
1 cup cold heavy cream (aka whipping cream and NOT Cool Whip!)
1 tablespoon sugar, to taste (unbleached, raw, maple, etc.)
1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Steps:

Peel peaches (or nectarines).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Stir together remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, both flours, ground cardamom, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a mixing bowl.
Add butter and using a pastry blender to break up the butter into pea-size chunks. Stir in crystallized ginger.
Beat egg with vanilla and ½ cup buttermilk. Add to dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until moistened. If it seems too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons additional buttermilk. Texture will be shaggy and barely moist.
Turn dough out onto a counter lightly dusted with flour (I floured my hands, too.). Knead a few times; then roll or pat dough into a circle about ¾-inch thick.
Using a glass or biscuit cutter, cut out six 2-inch circles; gather remains, shape into a disk, and cut out remaining biscuits. Place close together on a baking sheet and bake until golden, 12-18 minutes.
Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.
Whip cream until it holds soft peaks. Add sweetener to taste and stir in almond extract.
To serve, cut biscuits.
Spoon fruit and juices (if any) over bottom half, add a dollop of cream, and cover with top biscuit.
I garnished the dessert with a light sprinkle of raw sugar for presentation.
Yield is estimated.