Peach Ice Cream From Scratch
This creamy Peach Ice Cream From Scratch uses ripe peaches, a rich egg custard, heavy cream, and milk to create a homemade summer dessert. It is part of my In Season Series, where I share ways to enjoy seasonal ingredients even when they are not traditionally Caribbean.
Ingredients
- 4 large peaches peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar divided
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Put the washed, peeled and chopped peaches in a bowl. Mix in 1/3 cup of sugar and the lemon juice. Mix well to combine and allow the peaches to macerate for about 3-4 hours, mixing at least once during this time.
- Strain and separate the peach syrup from the solids. Give the peach solids a further crush with a fork or pulse with a stick blender.
- In a pot over medium heat, add the milk, cream, 1/3 cup of sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer.
- Whisk the 4 egg yolks with the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar, then add 3 tablespoons of the warm milk mixture while whisking. Add a bit more and continue whisking. This step is called tempering the eggs, so when you add them to the pot they will not scramble.
- Add the eggs to the pot and whisk. Turn the heat down to low and cook at a very gentle simmer for 4-6 minutes.
- It will thicken naturally. Once the custard can coat the back of a spoon, turn off the stove.
- Add the peach syrup and vanilla and whisk. If you want to strain the custard at this point, you can.
- Chill until cold.
- Pour the peach custard into your ice cream maker and follow the instructions for use.
- In my case, I allowed the machine to run for about 20 minutes, until it became somewhat firm. Add the reserved peach solids and continue until it is firm. In my case, this took another 5 minutes.
- The peach ice cream will now have the texture of soft-serve ice cream. Pour it into a freezer-proof container with a lid and place it in the freezer to set for a couple of hours.
- More Peach RecipesIf you make this Peach Ice Cream, leave me a comment and let me know how you personalized it. I always enjoy hearing how you make these recipes your own, whether you added a little more peach, changed the texture, or simply made it for a family gathering.And if you are a fan of peaches, be sure to check out my Peach Chow, Peach Chutney, Habanero Peach Chicken Wing Sauce, and Glazed Grilled Peaches. For something refreshing, my Mango Peach Strawberry Lemonade is also a fan favourite.
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Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned peaches to make peach ice cream? Yes, canned peaches can be used when fresh ripe peaches are not available. However, they should be treated as an adaptation rather than a direct one-for-one replacement for the fresh peaches in this recipe. Do I need to macerate canned peaches for peach ice cream? No. Canned peaches have already been processed and softened, so they do not need the same 3-4 hour maceration used for the fresh peaches in this recipe. Can I use canned peaches in syrup for peach ice cream? Yes, but pay close attention to the sweetness. Peaches packed in syrup already contain added sugar, so using the full amount of sugar from the fresh-peach recipe may result in an overly sweet ice cream. Can I use the syrup from canned peaches in the ice cream? The fresh version of this recipe uses syrup created by macerating the peaches with sugar and lemon juice. Canned peach syrup is different because it has already been sweetened during processing. I would not automatically substitute the canned syrup for the fresh peach syrup without adjusting the overall sweetness. What makes this peach ice cream part of the In Season Series? The In Season Series is about celebrating ingredients when they are readily available (to me) and at their best. Peaches are abundant where I live during their season, making this a natural recipe to share even though peach ice cream is not a traditional Caribbean dessert. Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!