Country Peach Ice Cream

Country Peach Ice Cream
(Williams Sonoma Ice Cream)
(makes about 1L)

Ingredients:

4 large peaches (make sure they're ripe!!)
1.5 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar plus 2 tbsp
1.5 cups whole milk
1/5 cups heavy cream
4 egg yolks
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Peel and pit the peaches: Cut a cross on the bottom of the peaches and dip them in boiling water for a few minutes. If your peaches are very ripe, they'll take less than a minute. After taking them out, let them cool and the skin should peel right off. To pit them, use a paring knife and cut into the peach to the pit, carving around the pit to get the most peach possible.

2. Cut the peaches up into small bits and put half into a bowl. Mash them lightly with a fork and add the lemon juice and 2 tbsp of sugar. Toss, cover and refrigerate.

3. Make the custard:  In a saucepan, combine the milk and 1 cup of the cream. Add the remaining peaches and cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens a bit - about 4-5 minutes. Don't let the mixture boil!

4. When done, push the mixture through a sieve and discard the solids.

5. In another bowl, combine the egg yolks, 1/2 cup of sugar, salt and remaining 1/2 cup of cream. Whisk until the sugar starts to dissolve.

6. Temper the egg yolk mixture by gradually and slowly whisking in 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture. When done, pour the egg yolk mixture into the pot with the warm milk mixture and bring to a low simmer. Cook, stirring constantly, about 4-6 minutes until the custard coats the back of a spoon. Push through a sieve into a clean bowl then add the vanilla.

7. Fill a bigger bowl with ice and water and place the custard bowl on top. Mix occasionally until the custard cools.

8. When cool, cover the custard with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap touches the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate from 3-24 hours.

9. Pour the custard into your ice cream maker. When it thickens into a whipped cream consistency, add the reserved peaches.

10. Transfer to a container and freeze a minimum of 6 hours before serving.