Peach Ice Cream
Ingredients
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- 2 pounds fresh ripe peaches – peeled, pitted (~6.5 medium peaches)
- 1 cup granulated sugar – divided
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 5 large egg yolks
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Peel and pit the peaches. Finely dice 0.5 cup and set aside; chop the remaining peaches.
2. Combine the chopped peaches with 0.5 cup sugar and the lemon juice in a saucepan. Let macerate until juicy, 20–30 minutes, then cook over medium heat, stirring, until softened and syrupy, 5–7 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then puree until smooth; chill.
3. Warm the whole milk, remaining 0.5 cup sugar, and the kosher salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming and the sugar dissolves; do not boil.
4. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk in about half the hot milk to temper, then return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the custard thickens to nappe and reaches 170–175°F, 5–8 minutes.
5. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla, then whisk in the cooled peach puree. Chill until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
6. Churn the mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency and has increased in volume, 20–25 minutes. In the last minute of churning, add the reserved diced peaches.
7. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, press parchment or plastic wrap directly on the surface, and freeze until firm, 3–4 hours. Scoop and serve.
Peach ice cream is a summer favorite that pairs the lush sweetness of ripe peaches with a silky, creamy base. The flavor is bright and fragrant, often lifted with a touch of lemon and vanilla so the fruit shines through. The texture should be smooth and scoopable, with small, tender bits of peach adding bursts of juicy fruit.
Rooted in the American ice cream tradition, peach ice cream became especially associated with late-summer harvests and community gatherings across the American South. As hand-cranked churns and block ice made home ice cream feasible in the 19th and early 20th centuries, fruit-forward flavors like peach flourished. Today it remains a nostalgic fair and picnic staple, celebrated during peach seasons and festivals wherever the fruit is grown.