Poached peaches with zabaglione

Method

1. Skin the peaches: if yours are ripe, plunge them into a pan of boiling water for about 30 seconds, then run under a cold tap. The skin should peel off easily with a small knife. If the peaches are firmer, leave them in the water for 2-3 minutes and follow the same process. Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones, then slice or keep in halves.
2. Put the 350g sugar and 375ml cold water in a saucepan along with the vanilla pod and lemon juice, then put on a medium heat. Bring the pan to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes until all the sugar has dissolved and you’re left with a light syrup. Add the peaches and cook gently for 3-4 minutes, depending on how ripe the peaches are. The peaches should be just soft, but not falling apart. Lift out the peaches with a slotted spoon, put in a bowl and leave to cool. Discard the syrup or keep for fruit salads, cocktails or infusions.
3. For the zabaglione, put the egg yolks, sugar and marsala in a large heatproof mixing bowl and, using an electric mixer, whisk to combine. Put the bowl over a pan of just-simmering water (don’t let the water touch the bowl) and whisk continuously until the mixture is creamy and has more than quadrupled in size (10-15 minutes). The zabaglione is ready when a dollop dropped onto a plate
   retains its shape without collapsing. Remove from the heat and serve in bowls on top of the peaches.
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