Forget the oven and make a fridge cake to finish off your Christmas feast! Our recipe heroes the classic combination of poached in-season peaches and mascarpone

ingredients:

• 7 peaches, halved, stoned
• 1 cup (250ml) dark rum
• 3 cups (660g) caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick or quill
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• 500g mascarpone
• 3/4 cup (185ml) thickened cream
• 1 tbsp icing sugar mixture
• 16 savoiardi (sponge finger biscuits)

How to make it:

Step 1

Place peach, rum, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla seeds and pod and 2 cups (500ml) water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce heat to low. Partially cover and cook for 10 mins or until peach is just tender. Transfer the mixture to a heatproof bowl. Place in fridge for 1 hour to chill.

Step 2

Use an electric mixer to whisk the mascarpone, cream and icing sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Cover and place in the fridge to chill.

Step 3

Line an 11cm x 24cm (base measurement) loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing the sides to overhang.

Step 4

Drain the peach mixture, reserving the poaching liquid. Place 8 peach halves on a clean work surface and use a small sharp knife to cut each half into 1cm-thick slices.

Step 5

Place 2 cups (500ml) poaching liquid in a large bowl. Dip 1 biscuit into the poaching liquid and turn to coat. Repeat with 4 more biscuits. Arrange the biscuits crossways over base of the prepared pan, trimming to fit.

Step 6

Spread 1 1/4 cups of the mascarpone mixture over the biscuits. Top with half the peach slices, overlapping slightly. Spread a thin layer of remaining mascarpone mixture over peach slices. Continue layering with the remaining biscuits, reserved poaching liquid, mascarpone mixture and peach slices, finishing with biscuits. Lightly tap pan on work surface to settle the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight to set.

Step 7

Meanwhile, place 1 cup (250ml) remaining poaching liquid in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 5 mins or until syrup thickens. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill.

Step 8

Turn the cake onto a serving platter. Remove plastic wrap. Cut remaining peach halves into wedges. Arrange over the cake and drizzle with syrup.

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