Peach Bellini Recipe

1. Prepare peaches

If using ripe peaches with skins on, blanch for 15–30 seconds in boiling water, then transfer to an ice bath and slip off skins. Pit the peaches and roughly chop to yield about 2 cups packed chopped peach flesh.

2. Make peach purée

Place the chopped peaches, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons cold water in a blender. Purée until completely smooth, about 30–45 seconds. Taste and add a little more sugar if peaches are not very sweet; blend briefly to incorporate. Strain the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, using a spatula to press solids — this yields a silky purée and removes fibers (expected yield ~1 to 1 1/4 cups). Chill the purée for at least 15 minutes, or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Keep covered.

3. Optional chilling notes

For a slightly icy, slushy texture, freeze the purée in a shallow dish until partially set (45–90 minutes) and stir before assembling. For a smoother traditional Bellini, keep fully liquid and chilled.

4. Chill wine

Chill the Prosecco or dry sparkling wine and the optional peach liqueur well (ideally to 40–45°F / 4–7°C). Cold sparkling wine retains more bubbles when mixed with warm ingredients.

5. Assemble Bellinis

Pour about 1 to 2 tablespoons of peach purée into the bottom of each chilled champagne flute (adjust to taste; 1 tbs = more wine, 2 tbs = fruitier). If using peach liqueur, add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) per glass on top of the purée. Slowly top each flute with chilled Prosecco, pouring at an angle to preserve bubbles, until the glass is nearly full. Gently stir once with a bar spoon to combine the purée and wine — do not over-stir or you'll lose effervescence. Taste one and adjust future glasses by adding more purée for fruit intensity or more wine for dryness.

6. Serve

Serve immediately while sparkling. If desired, garnish each flute with a thin fresh peach slice hooked over the rim and a small mint leaf.

7. Prepare garnish just before serving: cut a ripe peach into thin slices and twist a slice onto the rim of each glass. Gently slap mint between palms to release aroma and tuck one leaf beside the peach slice.