Macerated Peaches

Made "Blackberry and Peach Cobbler" today. It was delicious. The recipe is as follows:

Macerated Peaches
8 ripe peaches (2 1/2 lbs) peeled, pitted, and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, depending on peach sweetness
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (I just used some vanilla extract)
2 pints blackberries, rinsed and dried

Topping
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon each baking powder and salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut up
1/3 cup buttermilk

1. Macerated Peaches: In large bowl, toss peaches, sugar and vanilla (bean), cover. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight, tossing occasionally. Scrape seeds out of vanilla bean halves and discard pods (unnecessary if using vanilla extract). Add blackberries and mix. Spoon mixture evenly into 8 shallow ramekins (~5 cm in diameter) placed on a large baking sheet, or into shallow 2 quart baking dish.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Topping: In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar ,baking powder and salt. With pastry blender (I used a fork), cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. With fork, stir in buttermilk until mixture comes together. Crumble over filling.
4. Bake 40 minutes, until topping is golden-brown and fruit is bubbling. Cool on a wire rack.
5. Serve warm with ice cream for extreme deliciousness.

SO GOOD!