Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Macerate and prep the peaches
- Toss the diced peaches with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and lemon juice until glossy. Let macerate at room temperature for 30 minutes, and look for juices collecting around the fruit.
- Blend 2 cups of the macerated peaches until smooth, then set aside. Keep the remaining peaches chunky so you’ll see pieces in the finished ice cream.
Cook the peach custard
- Heat the heavy cream and whole milk in a Dutch oven until steaming, not boiling. Watch for steam and small bubbles at the edges.
- Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in the Dutch oven. Whisk until the mixture looks slightly lighter in color.
- Whisk the steaming cream mixture slowly into the egg yolks to temper. Pour gradually so the custard stays smooth.
- Return to the heat and cook to 175F, stirring constantly. Keep it at temperature until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Strain the custard, then stir in vanilla extract and cinnamon. The base should look silky and pale golden after the spices blend.
- Stir in the blended peach puree until fully incorporated. You should see a uniform peach color with no streaks.
- Cool completely over an ice bath, stirring occasionally. The surface should feel cool and the custard should be fully chilled before refrigerating.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours to chill thoroughly. The custard should be cold throughout before churning.
Churn and freeze
- Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. During the last 5 minutes, add the reserved chunky peach pieces.
- Freeze the churned ice cream for at least 2 hours until scoopable. It should firm up into a creamy texture that holds shape.
Notes
For the cleanest texture, strain the custard right after cooking and make sure the base cools completely before refrigerating—this helps prevent icy bits. Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks; it stays best after 24 hours. Freezing is yes; there’s no need to pre-freeze bowls. For a lighter option, you can swap part of the heavy cream for additional whole milk (texture will be softer but still peach-forward).