Peach Ice Cream

Peach ice cream is a fresh and fragrant summer delight, a classic to enjoy as a dessert or to refresh yourself. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 500g ripe peaches
• 150g sugar
• 200ml fresh cream
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by washing the peaches, cutting them in half and removing the pit. If you prefer a smoother ice cream, you can peel the peaches, but it’s not strictly necessary.

2. Cut the peaches into pieces and put them in a blender or food processor. Add the lemon juice, which will help preserve the vibrant color of the fruit, and blend until you get a puree.

3. In a saucepan, cook the peach puree with the sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally. If you want to add an extra touch, you can add a tablespoon of honey to enhance the natural sweetness of the peaches. Leave on the heat until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is slightly reduced, then let it cool completely.

4. In a bowl, whip the fresh cream until it becomes frothy and slightly firm.

5. Gently fold the whipped cream into the now cold peach mixture. Do this step very delicately so as not to deflate the cream.

6. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to make the ice cream. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can pour the mixture into a container, cover with a lid or parchment paper and place in the freezer. It is important to stir the ice cream every 30-40 minutes for the first 2-3 hours to avoid the formation of ice crystals.

7. Once the ice cream has reached the desired consistency (usually after about 4-6 hours in the freezer), it is ready to be served.

Trivia

Peach ice cream lends itself to various variations: for example, you can add pieces of fresh peaches to the mixture before freezing it to find fruity surprises inside, or mix crumbled amaretti into the puree for a crunchy contrast and a very Italian nod to the flavor of the famous “Pesca Amaretto”.