Peachgasm! Honey-Peach Ice Cream

Desserts, Ice Cream, Tuesdays with Dorie / Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

Some dads play golf. Some fish. When my dad needs to relax, he drives. Windows down, radio on. And not just around the block or around town. Once he left the house and drove all the way to New Orleans.

He’d offer to take us out to eat after church, and three hours later, we’d wind up at Lambert’s Café in Sikeston, Missouri, reaching up for those “throwed rolls” like they were manna from heaven.

But one of the benefits of Daddy’s extensive travels was that right as we started threatening to kill ourselves or each other if we didn’t get out of the van, he’d find a dairy dip. Some standing room-only shack that smelled like little burgers and fries and soft-serve ice cream.

Daddy bought a lot of goodwill with that 99-cent cone.

Now, I love making ice cream at home, and this is the one of the best I’ve ever made or eaten: Dorie Greenspan’s Honey-Peach Ice Cream.

Orange blossom honey. Georgia peaches. Whole milk, cream, sugar.

Summer in a cone.

Even the smallest bite blooms with the flavor of ripe peaches and cold, sweet cream. It’d be worth a three-hour drive, but it’s so much nicer to just walk to the freezer.

Prepare for the peachgasm.

Honey-Peach Ice Cream

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s “Baking: From My Home to Yours”

Makes about 1 quart

  • 4 large ripe peaches (about 2 pounds), peeled and pitted
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  1. To peel and pit the peaches: Fill a large pot with enough water to cover your peaches. Bring the water to a boil. Using a paring knife, lightly score the bottom of each peach with an X. Then add the peaches to the boiling water for 45 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to a bowl of ice water for 30 seconds. Remove the skin with your fingers or a paring knife. Cut along the seam of each peach to the pit, running your knife all the way around the fruit. Twist each half in opposite directions to free one half from the pit. Remove the pit with your fingers or the knife.
  2. Coarsely chop half the peaches into 1/2-inch chunks, and toss them into a small saucepan. Add honey, and bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are soft but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Puree the mixture using a blender, food processor or immersion blender. Set aside.
  3. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a boil.
  4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar together. Still whisking, drizzle in about one third of the hot liquid – this will temper the eggs so they don’t curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remaining liquid. Pour the custard back into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring without stopping, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. The custard should reach at least 170 degrees F, but no more than 180 degrees F, on an instant-read thermometer. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, and pour the custard into a 2-quart glass measuring cup or clean heatproof bowl. Stir in the vanilla and peach puree.
  5. Refrigerate the custard until chilled before churning it into ice cream.
  6. Scrape the chilled custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker, and churn according to manufacturer’s directions. While the ice cream is churning, finely dice the remaining 2 peaches, then, just before the ice cream is thickened and ready, add the peaches and churn to blend. Pack the ice cream into a container and freeze it for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop.

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29 thoughts on “Peachgasm! Honey-Peach Ice Cream”

  1. Oh my! I've been looking for a new flavor to try with my ice cream maker. Thanks for sharing! Will have make this soon! :)

  2. Whaddya know… I just got peaches in my CSA box. Four of them. I also have an ice cream maker that has yet to be inaugurated. Looks like I know what I'm making. ;)

  3. Wow! I'm gonna have to try this. Peachgasm. Love that word. If you ever can't make it and have to do store bought the Haagen-Daz Fat Free Peach Sorbet is the best food I have ever put in my mouth!

  4. I have been holding off on buying an ice cream machine, but this recipe has convinced me I need one right now! What brand/model of ice cream maker do you recommend?

  7. I'm going to try this – did you know that Saturday, July 19 is National Peach Ice Cream Day? No, really. It's true. I was thinking I'd make some to celebrate, and then you post this recipe – it's perfect!

  8. If you like ice cream.. I highly (HIGHLY) recommend the book "The Perfect Scoop" by David Lebovitz… I have done 5 ice creams out of his book and one is better than the next. Buying ice cream in the supermarket is a thing of the past!

    I have Dories book and her ice cream recipes are all good as well.

  9. Hot dang, this is for me! Was a little skeptical when I read about the addition of honey (the only batch of ice cream I ever made that got flushed down the toilet was sweetened with honey), but there's some sugar in there and a whole bunch of other good stuff, so I'll take your word for it. Summer in a bowl…yes!

  11. Oh yeah. I remember making this and how awesome it was. Thanks for the reminder. I think I will go make some this week. Well, maybe 2day. Looks yummy!!!

  13. I love this! I'm going to culinary school to become a pastry chef and we make ice cream in school- this sounds just like (but way better) than what we make in class. I need an ice cream maker now too!

  14. You should soak the peach pieces in a tablespoon or so of vodka before mixing them into the ice cream! I love that trick to keep them from getting icy.

    I love most tricks that involve vodka.

  17. Thank you. Read this yesterday, made yesterday, churned this morning, froze for 2 hours. Enjoyed and now need a cigarette! So Good.

  18. awesome! i just hate peeling and pitting peaches – afraid i'm gonna slice myself.

    did u also make the cones?

  21. Orange blossom honey is our favorite… we get some from a local farmer and just love it. With my dad's peach tree getting heavy, we will definitely have to try this soon. Thanks so much for the post!

  23. this sounds wonderful! just wanted to share with you that steeping the pits and peels in the cream/milk mixture (after you have boiled the milk/cream with the peach parts allow it to sit for an hour incorporating the flavors) imparts a much more intense peach flavor to the ice cream in the end. also, adding a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne and shaved dark chocolate makes an amazing combination. thanks for sharing!

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