roasted wine soaked peaches + plums with whipped aquafaba

My mom's KitchenAid Mixer was basically my babysitter growing up. When I would get home after school, instead of turning on the TV or doing my homework (like I should have been doing), I would pull out the mixer and my mom's binder full of recipes and start baking away. I baked so much that we couldn't eat it fast enough, so we had to store cookies and cakes in the freezer for when guests and friends came over.  I had no idea that this quirky after school habit of mine would become a life long love ..... I also think that these days a parent might get in trouble for allowing a 10 year old to operate an oven without adult supervision, but I am thankful my mom trusted me and I grew up during more lenient times ;) 

That very same mixer got passed down to me, and it now stays tucked away ..... a very precious heirloom that I want to protect and keep forever. I do have a newer, bright red KitchenAid that I use from time to time, but to be honest I do not bake nearly as much as I used to when I was a kid. I do still use the mixer quite a bit for iced cream, and whipping up coconut cream ...... but since the mixer is tucked away in the back of the closet, I sometimes get deterred from using it just for the fact that I don't feel like lugging it out of the closet. Recently, Williams Sonoma gifted me the new KitchenAid mini mixer, and I am so excited because lugging is no longer an excuse to not whip something up. Living in NYC, space is such a precious commodity, so when one of your favorite kitchen equipment pieces is made much smaller and lighter, that is something to get really excited about. Also, I am much more into gray and neutral tones that I was when I bought by (bright!) red mixer ..... so that is something else to be really exited about. 

Let's talk about one more thing that I am really really really excited about. Maybe you've discovered the wonders of chickpea liquid, maybe this is the first you have heard of it. I didn't quiet buy into it the first time I read about it, but the more research I did, and the more well-respected chefs were talking about this magical liquid, I knew that was going to be the first thing I was going to test out in my new KitchenAid mini. In case you're not up to speed, it has been discovered that the liquid in the can of chickpea, that is usually discarded, actually has the same properties as eggs making it a great egg, and sometimes dairy, replacement in baked goods. Someone also gave this magical liquid a super cute name, aquafaba, which is my new favorite word for my new favorite food trick. I am not necessarily looking to replace eggs ....my local, organic eggs are one of my favorite sources of protein ..... but I am still weary of dairy, heavy milk in particular, so I was very excited about the prospect of a dairy-free whipped cream that didn't require a can of coconut milk sitting upside down in the fridge. So when I poured that chickpea liquid into my KitchenAid with just a couple other ingredients to sweeten it, you can imagine how exited I was to see real, stiff white peaks after about 5 minutes of whipping. It really is a miracle. You have to try it yourself to believe it. 

To celebrate, I roasted some peaches and plums that I picked up at the farmstand earlier that day, and then I soaked them in wine, you know, to be extra festive (this is a celebration, after all). I topped the fruit with some chopped pistachios, and a scoop of the aquafaba, and with one bite, my whipped dairy-free dreams finally came true. I could finally enjoy one of my favorite, simple summertime desserts with this fancy new whip. 

*This post is sponsored by Williams Sonoma who gifted me the KitchenAid mini mixer. Thanks for supporting the brands that support WCGL! 

roasted, wine soaked peaches + plums with whipped aquafaba 

You can use any kind of fruit that is in season, but stone fruit really works best for this recipe. If you are using another kind of fruit, just use enough to cover the the bottom of the baking dish. 

SERVES
4-6 for dessert

INGREDIENTS

about 5 peaches, halved and pitted
about 5 plums, halved and pitted
a drizzle of sunflower oil
a drizzle of maple syrup
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

about 1 cup of wine (white, or dessert wine preferably) 

a handful of pistachios, chopped (optional)

for the whipped aquafaba:
the liquid from 1 can of organic, low sodium chickpeas
1/3 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
a pinch of sea salt

METHOD

• Pre-heat the oven to 350º. 
• Place the peaches and plums in a 8"x8" baking dish and drizzle the oil and maple syrup evenly over top along with the vanilla. Toss to combine. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the fruit is super soft, and brown and caramelized around the edges. 
• Remove from the oven, and pour the wine in the baking dish with the fruit. Allow it to soak for a minimun of an hour, but obviouly the longer the better. You can even do this a day in advance. 
• Shortly before you're ready to serve, whip up the aquafaba. Place the chickpea liquid, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, salt, and cream of tartar into a stand mixer and mix on high speed continuously until the mixture is white, fluffy, and stiff peaks have formed (about 5-7 minutes). It should look just like whipped cream!
• To serve, spoon a couple of pieces of fruit onto a plate using a slotted spoon. Finish with a sprinkle of pistachios and a scoop of the aquafaba whip.