Blackberry Soup with Peaches and Berries

• 1 1/2 pints blackberries, picked over (about 4 1/2 cups)
• 6 tablespoons sugar, or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon kirsch, brandy or cassis (optional)
• 3 large ripe peaches (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream

1. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the blackberries.
2. Place the remaining 3 cups berries and 1/2 cup of water in a nonreactive 3 1/2 -quart saucepan.
3. Cover, bring to a simmer over moderate heat and cook until the berries have softened slightly and exuded their juices, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer the cooked berries to a strainer and press through to remove the seeds.
5. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the sugar until dissolved; sweeten with more sugar if desired.
6. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
7. Stir in the kirsch.
8. Up to 2 hours before serving, peel, halve and pit the peaches.
9. Working over a bowl, slice the peaches 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
10. Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar over the peaches and gently toss.
11. Ladle the chilled blackberry soup into 6 soup plates, arrange the peach slices in the soup and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and about 6 or 7 of the reserved blackberries to each serving.
12. Serve at once.

blackberries, sugar, teaspoon kirsch, peaches, vanilla ice cream

Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/blackberry-soup-with-peaches-and-berries (may not work)