Although peaches are best when warmed, who can resist peach ice cream? It's like a bite of chilled sun. When I a kid my mother's peach ice cream had chunks of frozen peaches in it, which I didn't consider ideal. Ice cream should be smooth in my book. So I cook these peaches and then puree them*. I also forgo the egg base in this version and just use milk and heavy cream. (Larger image.) Makes about 1 quart.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: Approximately 1 quart.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lb. fresh peaches; peeled, pitted, and cut into small chunks*
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar (depending on sweetness of peaches)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. ground cardomom
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream**
Preparation:
1. Dissolve sugar in 1/4 cup water in a medium sauce pan over low heat.
2. When sugar is dissolved, add peaches, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cardomom, and salt.
3. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until peaches are tender.
4. Remove from heat and puree.
5. Cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight..
6. Thoroughly combine peaches, milk and cream. Pour into ice cream maker, and follow manufacturer directions.
*Note 1: If you like those frozen chunks, feel free to peel and cut up another peach or two, chill the chunks, and toss them into the final mixture.
**Note 2: You can substitute half and half for the heavy cream.