Equipment
Ingredients
Raspberry Coulis
- 250 g fresh raspberries, washed and dried
- 30 g icing sugar
- 5 ml lemon juice
Macerated Fruit Layer
- 300 g peaches or nectarines, pitted and diced into 1cm cubes
- 150 g strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 25 g granulated sugar
- 10 ml lemon juice
Chantilly Cream
- 200 ml heavy whipping cream, cold (35% fat minimum)
- 15 g icing sugar
- 5 ml vanilla bean paste
Assembly
- 600 ml vanilla bean ice cream
- 40 g flaked almonds, toasted
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 703 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbohydrates
- 78 g
- Fat
- 39 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 43 g
- Sodium
- 171 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 20 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 72 mg
- Potassium
- 877 mg
- Calcium
- 419 mg
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 98 mg
- Phosphorus
- 379 mg
- Zinc
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 248 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 45 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 4.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.16 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.66 mg
- Niacin
- 1.8 mg
- Folate
- 43 mcg
- Water
- 272 g
- Caffeine
- 5 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine diced peaches, strawberries, granulated sugar, and 10ml lemon juice in a bowl. Toss gently and let stand at room temperature for 20-30 minutes to macerate.
While fruit macerates, prepare the coulis. Blend fresh raspberries, icing sugar, and 5ml lemon juice until smooth. Pass through a fine mesh sieve to remove all seeds for a professional texture.
Place the flaked almonds in a dry pan over medium heat. Toast, shaking frequently, until golden brown. Remove immediately to a cool plate to stop cooking.
Whip the cold heavy cream, icing sugar, and vanilla bean paste until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat to butter.
In chilled sundae glasses, build the layers: Start with a spoonful of macerated fruit and syrup, followed by a drizzle of coulis. Add a scoop of ice cream. Repeat the layers, ensuring the coulis runs down the sides of the glass.
Top with a generous dollop of Chantilly cream and sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Chill your serving glasses (coupes or tall sundae glasses) in the freezer for at least 20 minutes before assembly to keep the ice cream firm.
- For the coulis, taste your raspberries first. If they are very tart, increase the icing sugar to 40g; if sweet, reduce to 20g.
- Texture is crucial in a sundae. The toasted almonds provide a necessary 'snap' to contrast the soft fruit and melting ice cream.
- If you want a 'grown-up' version, add 15ml of peach schnapps or Grand Marnier to the macerating fruit.
- Always use a serrated knife for the strawberries and a sharp chef's knife for the peaches to avoid crushing the fruit structure.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Coulis and macerated fruit can be stored separately. Assembled sundaes must be eaten immediately.
Troubleshooting
Ice cream melts instantly upon assembly
Cause: Glasses were warm or fruit mixture was too warm
Fix: Return assembled sundaes to freezer for 5-10 minutes before adding the final whipped cream
Prevention: Place serving glasses in the freezer for 15 minutes before assembly
Cultural Context
The 'Peach Melba' flavor profile was invented by Auguste Escoffier at the Savoy Hotel in London in the 1890s to honor Australian soprano Nellie Melba. This sundae deconstructs that classic plated dessert into a vertical American-style parlor treat, maintaining the iconic combination of peaches, raspberry puree, and vanilla cream.
