5 fresh peaches, peeled, cut into slices, with the slices halved
splash of lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional (The cinnamon will add flavor, but it will turn the mixture brown--your choice)
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla, optional
18.25 oz. package yellow cake mix
1 stick butter or margarine, softened to room temperature
Directions
Prepare your peaches by combining 5 cut-up peaches, sprinkling them with lemon juice, and setting them aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine. Then, stir in 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch, until most of the lumps are dissolved.
Add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (if desired). Cook on the stove, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are fork-tender, about 10 minutes or so.
This mixture will be like a peach pie filling.
While the peaches are cooking, prepare your cream sauce.
In a small saucepan, mix 1 cup of sour cream with 3/4 cup sugar. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla (if desired), and stir well.
Place over low heat, and stir constantly until thick and bubbly. This cream sauce will be ready at about the same time that the peach mixture is ready. Remove the peach mixture and the cream mixture from the stove, and let them cool to room temperature. (It will be even better if you let the cream sauce chill a bit in the refrigerator.)
While your peach mixture and cream sauce are cooling, prepare your "crunch" topping.
In a large bowl, place 1 stick of softened butter. Add an 18.25 oz. package of yellow cake mix. Use a fork or pastry blender to mix until the topping is very crumbly.
When all of your layers are ready, assemble your Peaches and Cream Crunch in an oven-proof casserole dish.
I used a 9-inch by 12-inch by 2-inch dish.
First, pour all of your peach mixture on the bottom.
Next, drizzle your cream sauce over the peach mixture.
Finally, carefully crumble your "crunch" topping over the cream sauce.
Place in a 350 degree oven, and bake for about 20 minutes, until the peach mixture is bubbly, and the topping is beginning to brown.
This is a *beautiful* dessert, and it is "out-of-this-world" in flavor! You can serve it proudly!!!
***Note: I originally created this dish to be very "quick and easy," using (2) 21-oz. cans of (Comstock) peach pie filling in place of the peach mixture mentioned above. If you do not have access to fresh peaches, and want to save some time and effort, feel free to replace the peach mixture with 1 to 2 cans of peach pie filling. Just put the pie filling in your casserole dish as the first layer, and do the remainder as outlined above. It will be just as good--but much quicker and easier, and your won't have to provide the fresh peaches, sugar, etc! It is also an option when peaches are not in season!-- Betty :)
