Warm Peach Shortcake With Brandy Whipped Cream

From a cookbook titled "The Rustic Table" by Constance Snow. This recipe is Snow's riff on a Southern shortcake--she makes one giant shortcake, splits it and fills it with warm, buttery peaches. To serve, she cuts it in wedges and tops each piece with brandy-laced whipped cream.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Shortcake

• 1⁄2 cup  plus 1 tbsp sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  freshly grated nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 cup  cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 3⁄4 cup buttermilk
• 2  large eggs, beaten

• Filling

• 3  tablespoons brandy
• 1⁄4 cup golden raisin
• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4  firm ripe peaches (1 1/2 lbs)
• 1⁄2 cup  packed light brown sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Make the shortcake: Preheat the oven to 375°F Spray a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick vegetable spray. In a small bowl, stir 1 tablespoon sugar with the cinnamon. In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, the baking powder, nutmeg, salt and baking soda. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the cold butter until it is the size of small peas. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk and the beaten eggs. Stir with a fork, until a dough forms. Scrape the dough into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35 minutes, until the top is golden, Brush the top of the hot cake with the melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Transfer the shortcake to a rack to cool for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the filling: In a small bowl, pour the brandy over the raisins and let stand for 20 minutes. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the peaches, cover and cook over moderately low heat until the peaches just begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the brandy. Add the remaining brandy and the raisins to the skillet along with the brown sugar and cinnamon. cook the peaches over moderate heat, stirring often, until glazed and crisp-tender, about 8 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, whip the cream with the reserved 1 tablespoon of brandy until soft peaks form. Remove the shortcake from the pan and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. Using a serrated knife, slice the cake in half horizontally; slide the top of the cake onto a plate. Spoon the peaches and their sauce over the bottom of the shortcake. Top with the other half of the cake. Cut the shortcake into wedges and serve with a dollop of brandy whipped cream.
4. Note: The shortcake can be baked up to 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature.
5. FYI: I like my whipped cream a little sweeter, so I add about 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar to heavy cream along with the 1 tablespoon of brandy before whipping the cream.