Prepared so that small pieces of the peach remain beautifully intact, this conserve can be muddled into cocktails, drizzled over ice cream, or blended into milk shakes. We highly recommend making a double batch—it will be gone before you know it.
Makes 21/4 cups
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes, plus cooling time
1 pound peaches, pitted and coarsely chopped (about 3 medium)
3/4 cup sugar
1 strip lemon peel (peeled with a vegetable peeler)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup dark rum
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of kosher salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1. Combine the peaches, sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, rum, cinnamon stick, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
2. Set the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the peaches are just tender. Remove the peaches from the liquid, reserving the cooking liquid in the pot.
3. Whisk 1 tablespoon of the cooking liquid into the cornstarch in a small bowl until blended. Bring the remaining liquid to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced to 1/2 cup. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the liquid in the saucepan and stir until the mixture comes back to a simmer and has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat. Remove and discard the lemon peel and cinnamon stick. Stir in the vanilla.
4. Pour the syrup over the peaches. Let cool. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.