It just isn’t summer until I’ve had homemade peach ice cream. My grandparents had two Georgia Bell peach trees in their backyard and I remember summers when they were just loaded with peaches. Naturally, peach ice cream was often on the menu. Those summers are where I learned the secret to great peach ice cream: perfectly ripe peaches. Recently my friend Dixon got me The Perfect Scoop, David Lebovitz‘s cookbook dedicated to all things ice cream and frozen desserts. Naturally, the first recipe that I tried was his peach ice cream. Since the peaches were plentiful, I decided to make both David’s version and my mom’s recipe and do an ice cream tasting with Dixon to decide which we liked best. (PS: Ice cream tastings should be a thing.)
The Verdict: Both peach ice creams were delicious. The Perfect Scoop peach ice cream tasted sophisticated and complex (but was still super easy to make). Mom’s…., well, it was pure essence of peach. So which should you make? It depends on what you are in the mood for. Looking for a traditional, simple peach ice cream: go with my mom’s peach ice cream recipe. Looking for something more sophisticated: go with David’s Perfect Scoop version. Regardless of which you choose, you won’t be disappointed.
Skip to detailed instructions or see other peach recipes.
Mom's Peach Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 c. peeled, diced peaches (4-5 peaches depending on size)
- 2/3 c. sugar
- 1 c. heavy cream
- 2/3 c. whole milk
Directions
- Step 1 Peel and dice peaches.
- Step 2 Add sugar to the peaches. Let sit for 15 min so the juices release from the peaches.
- Step 3 Mash the peaches with a pastry cutter OR pulse in a blender or food processor. If you want chunks of peach in your ice cream, be sure to not to over-process the peaches.
- Step 4 Add cream and milk to peaches and mix together.
- Step 5 Freeze in ice cream freezer according to the manufacturers instructions. (For mine, this takes 45-55 min.). Put ice cream in container and place in freezer for an hour or so for the ice cream to firm up before serving.
Detailed Instructions
Step 0. Wait for peaches to be perfectly ripe. Your patience will be rewarded.
Step 1. Peel and dice the peaches. If peaches are really ripe the skin will peel off relatively easily (at least with most peach varieties). If you haven’t mastered this technique, see Southern Living’s advice on how to peel a peach.
Step 2. Add sugar to the peaches until the mixture is ‘gritty’ – this takes about 2/3 c of sugar. (Mom tastes it to make sure it feels gritty.) Let sit for 15 min so the juices release from the peaches.
Step 3. Mash the peaches with a pastry cutter OR pulse in a blender or food processor. If you want chunks of peach in your ice cream, be sure to not to over-process the peaches. Add cream and milk and mix together.
Step 5. Freeze in ice cream freezer according to the manufacturers instructions. Put ice cream in container and place in freezer for an hour or so for the ice cream to firm up before serving. Remove ice cream from freezer 10-15 min before scooping to let the ice cream soften up.
