Roasted peach ice cream

Past couple of days were so hot that I wanted to make something refreshing but still sweet and satisfying. It was the perfect time to try and make my first homemade ice cream. I always wanted to try and make it but I didn't have an ice cream maker at home. I was very happy when, for my birthday, I got a Kitchenaid ice cream maker attachment with a few basic recipes.

Making ice cream is actually very simple and it tastes so much better than the store-bought version. I also love that I get to use all my leftover egg yolks in the most delicious way. I'm not an ice cream expert by any chance so I had to do some research on different varieties and phrases for this frozen delight.

For instance, what is the difference between Italian gelato and ice cream? And what is the difference between sorbet and sherbet? I found out that it differentiates based on the milk fat content. Ice cream has more milk fat and it is sweeter than the Italian version called "gelato".
Sorbet is made with no dairy products and sherbet has 1-2% milk fat and it is generally sweeter than ice cream. This are the basic differences but there are so many other frozen dessert types to explore in the future.

I decided to make peach ice cream and to enhance the peach flavor I roasted the peaches in the oven until they were sticky and soft. The ice cream base is basically a vanilla custard made with cream, egg yolks, vanilla and half-and-half (coffee cream). I made the vanilla custard a day in advance, because I heard that it turns in the best ice cream when the custard is really cold. If you are in a hurry you can place the custard on an ice bath and chill it down to about 8°C (46°F) before churning for the best result.
I added the roasted peaches at final 5 minutes of churning to incorporate the flavor in the vanilla base. The ice cream was still quite soft after it came from the machine so I placed it in a freezer to firm up.

I loved the tangy flavor from the peaches, the chewy texture from the peach skins and a creamy texture of the custard. You can also substitute the peaches for apricots or any stone fruit of you choice. Adding a little chocolate probably wouldn't hurt either.

Roasted peach ice cream

(Makes approx. 1 liter)      

       

Time:

Preparation: 1 hour or over night

Baking: 15 min

Churning: 15-20min

Freezing: 1 hour

For the roasted peaches:

• 4 ripe peaches
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar (to taste)
• a small pinch of salt
• a small pinch of dried thyme (optional)

For the ice cream:

• 250ml half-and-half (coffee cream, 10% fat)
• 250ml heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1/2 vanilla paste (optional)
• 4 egg yolks
• 110g white granulated sugar
• a pinch of salt

Roasting the peaches:

Cut the peaches into small wedges and place in a baking dish. I left the skins on intentionally for a chewy texture, but you can peel them. Place chunks of butter over the peaches evenly. Sprinkle with sugar, thyme and salt. Bake at 180°C (356°F) for 15 minutes or until soft, depending on the ripeness. Set aside to cool and store in the fridge.

Making the ice cream:

Pour half-and-half in a small sauce pan, add split vanilla (seeds and all) and vanilla paste. Place on medium heat until very hot but not boiling, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside. 

Meanwhile place egg yolks and sugar in a bowl of your electric or hand mixer and whisk until well blended and slightly thickened. Remove the vanilla bean and very gradually add hot half-and-half mixture, whisk until incorporated. 

Pour the mixture in a small pot and cook on medium heat, whisking constantly, until steamy and very hot, but not boiling. Remove from heat and strain the mixture through a sieve in a large bowl. Stir in heavy cream and salt. Cool, then cover and chill thoroughly in the fridge, best overnight. 

Churn the cold mixture in an ice cream maker according to the instructions. Meanwhile cut the roasted peaches in small chunks.

Add the peaches at the final 5 minutes of churning. When the ice cream is done churning. pour it in an airtight container and place in the freezer until set.

 Scoop the ice cream and enjoy!