Creamy Peach Ice Cream

 

I couldn't resist.  I took the last of those amazing juicy peaches and made peach ice cream. What could be more southern, more Georgian? Creamy and delicious it was a big hit with everyone including our dinner guests!

Peach Ice Cream (adapted from Epicurious.com)
Makes about 2 qt

2 pounds ripe peaches
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 c plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 c heavy cream
1 3/4 c whole milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract (or just more vanilla)


Peel peaches using method described here.
Whisk together cornstarch, and sugar in a heavy medium saucepan. Add cream and milk and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Add a little of this mixture to the egg yolks in a slow stream, whisking constantly, to temper (which means you don't want to make scrambled eggs, so be careful) then pour the eggs into saucepan.


Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, just until custard coats back of spoon and registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer, 1 to 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl (or not, I don't) and stir in extracts. Chill custard with plastic wrap pressed over the top of it so it doesn't form a "skin" 2-4 hours.

Mix peaches in with cold custard and freeze in ice cream maker as directed. Don't serve right away unless you don't mind REALLY soft ice cream.  I find it's better to put the ice cream in tupperware and put it in the freezer overnight (or at least a couple of hours) so it hardens.