Here’s our grilled peaches recipe with the homemade crème fraîche that so many of you have been waiting for! Our white peach tree produced tons of sweet fruit this year and eating them off the tree is by far, the BEST way to eat them.

Grilled Peaches Recipe with Creme Fraiche or Whipped Cream | @whiteonrice

Grilled Peaches Recipe

We made many dishes with these sweet gems (white peach gelato & bellini’s to name a few). With summer grilling at an all time high in the WORC household, grilling these peaches to perfect softness and topping them with some crème fraîche is, quite frankly, the SECOND best way to eat them. Grilled peaches just melt…in…your…mouth. We’re saying this slowly because there is just no other way to describe the amazing sensation of biting into the warm, dripping, slippery, sweet flesh of the peaches. The smoky undertones of the fruit from the grill and the very light honey/balsamic glaze actually heightens the sweet sensations. And add a dollop of some cool crème fraîche with a kiss of lime zest…it’s magical. If your product selection isn’t great for peaches, then nectarines are delicious too.

Grilled Peaches Recipe with Creme Fraiche or Whipped Cream on a plate

Crème fraîche can be difficult to find, but when you do, it tastes so good. Creme fraiche gives you new dimensions beyond sour cream with it’s silky texture and beautiful tang. We can find it in our select markets around here, of course the Frenchies have easy access to it, but what about the rest of the culinary hounds? You might be able to find it, and you might not. Never fear, our insatiable curiosity has lead us to the method for creating your own. All you have to do is culture some heavy cream with either sour cream or buttermilk. Leave it out in a warm place for a day or so (it’s ok, it is perfectly safe.) Then throw it in a fridge. That’s it. Don’t worry, we’ve put the specifics on the recipe page. Take the whole few minutes it take to make crème fraîche and enjoy. The buttermilk and the sour cream both give a slight difference in taste and texture to the final product. We found the sour cream to promote a smoother texture and a slightly sweeter taste. The buttermilk gave a nicer tang, and the texture was still exquisite. Make that which matches your fancy, or do like us and make both. It’s easy.

Enjoy,

diane and todd

Grilled Peaches Recipe with Creme Fraiche or Whipped Cream on a plate

This recipe was originally published in 2008 and re-published in 2020 with updated photos.

Grilled Peaches w/ Crème Fraîche Recipe

Plan ahead if you are making the homemade creme fraiche. It takes 24-36 hours to culture. However, you should make this, it will make you happy. There's 2 variations for culturing the cream, buttermilk or sour cream. The culture ultimately dictates the flavor of the creme fraiche; sour cream will give a slightly sweeter and creamier texture, buttercream will give you a bit more tang.
Glaze and creme fraiche can be made ahead of time. Re-whisk both before using. Enjoy!
4.50 from 4 votes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (60ml) Honey + additional 1 Tablespoon (15ml) for creme fraiche topping
  • 1 Tablespoon (15ml) Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon (3ml) Vanilla Extract
  • 4 firm but ripe Peaches or Nectarines , halved & pitted
  • 1 cup (240ml) Creme Fraiche (homemade recipe in Note below)
  • lemon/lime zest

Instructions 

  • Whisk 1/4 cup honey, vinegar, and vanilla in a bowl. Set aside.
  • Heat grill on medium-high heat, if possible. Brush fruit generously with half of the glaze. Grill each side until heated through, about 4 minutes per side.
  • Whisk together the creme fraiche and the additional 1 tablespoon of honey in bowl to blend. Set aside.
  • Arrange 2 grilled fruit halves, cut side up, on each plate. Drizzle with remaining glaze. Spoon the creme fraiche mixture top of grilled fruit.
    Grate lemon/lime zest for a bright, aromatic citrus punch!

Notes

Note:
creme fraiche ingredients
  • 1 cup (240ml) Heavy Cream
  • 1 Tablespoon (15ml) Sour Cream or Buttermilk
creme fraiche directions
  1. Combine heavy cream and sour cream (or buttermilk) and gently heat to approx. 100ºF. Keep it covered in a warm (yes, warm place, it is perfectly safe) until it has thickened, usually 24-36 hours. After the cream has thickened, place it in the refrigerator. It should keep for at least a couple weeks.

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 128kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 2mg, Potassium: 296mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 31g, Vitamin A: 489IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 9mg, Iron: 1mg