Napping with Peaches: Ice-Cream #7 for July 4th!

Happy Fourth of July! For this all-American holiday I am giving you an all-American ice-cream flavor. Peach ice-cream is a favorite of almost every person I know. My father claims it was the best flavor served at his neighborhood soda fountain when he was growing up. My friend Barbara has memories of making peach ice-cream with her family's hand-crank ice-cream maker, each sibling taking turns churning by hand. These days I am happy to rely on my ice-cream maker for the heavy lifting, but I will only make this with fresh summer peaches. It makes all the difference with the flavor.

Naptime's Homestyle Peach Ice-Cream
3 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy cream
6 egg yolks
1 c. sugar
1 t. good vanilla extract
4 ripe peaches

1. Peel and slice peaches into small, thin pieces and place in a bowl. Put 2 t. of sugar in with peaches and let sit for 10 minutes. If you want your ice-cream smooth, after 10 minutes place peaches in a blender and puree until smooth. If you prefer the ice-cream chunky, leave them as is.

2. Combine milk and heavy cream in a large saucepan and bring to a low boil. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and remaining sugar. Add one cup of hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly. Add remaining milk mixture to eggs, then pour full mixture back into sauce pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a spoon – about 5 minutes.

3. Pour mixture into clean glass bowl and add peaches. Mix to incorporate peaches in the custard. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, and/or up to overnight.

4. Pour mixture into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions on time. Scoop into container and freeze for a minimum of two hours.