Ice Cream · Custard
Creamier Peach Ice Cream
A custard base with the peach juice folded right in, so the fruit flavors the whole scoop. Reducing that juice removes the water that makes fruit ice cream freeze icy.
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe peaches, peeled and sliced (about 2 cups)
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 large egg yolks
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 Tbsp light corn syrup or honey (smoother texture)
- Optional: 1 Tbsp bourbon or peach schnapps (softer scoop)
Method
- Peel the peaches: dunk in boiling water 15–30 seconds, then into an ice bath, and the skins slip off. Slice into a bowl with ½ cup of the sugar and the lemon juice. Let sit 30–60 minutes until soft and syrupy.
- Mash the peaches to small bits (no big chunks — they freeze hard). Strain, keeping the juice and solids in separate bowls. Refrigerate the solids.
- Simmer the strained juice over medium heat until reduced by about half and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Cool. This is the creaminess-and-flavor step.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, half-and-half, ½ cup sugar, salt, and corn syrup if using until steaming but not boiling.
- Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining ¼ cup sugar until pale, about 2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk about 1 cup of the hot cream into the yolks to temper, then pour that back into the saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, until it reaches 170–175°F and coats the back of a spoon, 2–4 minutes. Don't let it boil.
- Strain the custard into a clean bowl. Stir in the reduced peach syrup, vanilla, and bourbon if using.
- Cover and chill at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. A cold base is non-negotiable.
- Churn 20–30 minutes to soft-serve, adding the reserved peach solids in the last 30–60 seconds.
- Transfer to a container, press plastic wrap onto the surface, and freeze 4–6 hours. Let it sit out 10 minutes before scooping.
Notes
Half-and-half over milk: the extra fat makes it creamier and the custard sets a hair faster on the stove, so watch the temperature.
Expect a touch firmer than vanilla. Fruit always adds some natural water; the juice reduction and extra fat get you most of the way, and the 10-minute rest handles the rest.