Description
This Best Peach Ice Cream Recipe delivers creamy, luscious ice cream bursting with fresh peach flavor. Perfectly ripened peaches are macerated with sugar and lemon juice, then blended into a smooth custard base made with rich heavy cream, whole milk, and egg yolks for richness. The custard is chilled and churned in an ice cream maker, incorporating tender mashed peach pieces to distribute delightful fruit throughout your frozen treat. With balanced sweetness and natural peach tartness, this homemade ice cream is a refreshing summer dessert that’s easy to make and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Peach Prep
- 3 medium peaches, peeled and sliced (about 2 cups)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for soaking peaches)
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Custard Base
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the peaches: Peel and slice the peaches, then combine them in a large bowl with 1/2 cup sugar and lemon juice. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour until the peaches soften and release their juices, creating a syrupy liquid.
- Mash and strain peaches: Mash the softened peaches with a fork or potato masher until only small chunks remain to avoid hard frozen pieces. Strain the peach juice into a separate bowl, reserving both the liquid and mashed peaches. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat the dairy mixture: In a medium saucepan, combine cream, milk, another 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Heat over medium-low until the mixture is hot but not boiling, stirring occasionally.
- Whisk egg yolks and sugar: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until pale and light, about 2 minutes.
- Temper the eggs: Slowly add 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to gradually raise the temperature of the eggs without curdling them. Repeat with another 1/2 cup of hot cream.
- Cook the custard: Pour the tempered egg yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining hot cream mixture, stir gently with a wooden spoon over medium-low heat for 2-4 minutes until the custard thickens slightly to coat the back of the spoon and reaches 170-175°F. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Strain and chill custard: Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps. Stir in the reserved peach liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours until thoroughly chilled.
- Churn the ice cream: Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions for about 25-30 minutes until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. Add the reserved mashed peaches in the last 30 seconds of churning to mix evenly.
- Freeze to ripen: Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4-6 hours to allow it to fully set and develop flavors before serving.
Notes
- For best flavor, use ripe, juicy peaches at their peak for natural sweetness and aroma.
- If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the custard into a shallow container and freeze, stirring every 30 minutes to break up ice crystals until the ice cream is firm.
- To double the recipe, double the peaches and sugar amounts accordingly for proper balance.
- Make sure to temper the eggs carefully to prevent scrambling and achieve a smooth custard.
- The peach pieces added last ensure small tender fruit chunks without hard, frozen large pieces.
