Baltimore peach cake

Combine sugar and a package of dry active yeast with very warm milk, about 95 to 100 degrees.

Add melted butter and a beaten large egg and whisk until the sugar dissolves.

Stir in the all purpose flour in stages until almost incorporated, then add the salt; mix to a very wet, sticky dough.

Cover with a damp towel and rise in a warm spot about an hour and a half, until doubled.

Halve the peaches around the stone, twist apart, remove the stone and cut each half into four, unpeeled.

Deflate the dough with a spatula, transfer into a well-buttered baking dish and spread it into the corners.

Cover with plastic and rise 30 to 45 minutes more, until roughly doubled.

Lay the peaches on top all in the same direction, almost touching, and press them in.

Brush with about 2 tablespoons of melted butter and dust lightly with demerara sugar.

Bake in the center of a 375F oven 40 to 45 minutes until browned and cooked through (his 35 minutes left the dough under the fruit underdone).

While still hot, brush generously with peach or apricot preserves heated with a touch of water.

Cool to room temperature before serving.