I once ate at this small out-of-the-way restaurant that drew us in by proclaiming to have the best burgers in the whole city. It also boasted about its peach ice cream. Everyone agreed that the burgers were delicious, so we gave the peach ice cream a try. This ice cream looked similar to others I have tried, but there was a difference: the peaches were very peachy–for lack of a better word. They had an enhanced peach flavor, but the waiter wouldn’t divulge their secret. So, I figured out a few ways to enhance my own peach creations.
Ways to Enhance Peach Flavor
Use Flavorful Peaches
There are a few ways to enhance the peach flavor in desserts like ice cream. But first, it is essential to have fresh and juicy peaches. Not all peaches taste the same. When you buy fresh peaches, make sure they are very flavorful if you want to use them in ice cream. If they lack natural flavor, it is hard to make up for it with other methods.
Puree the Peaches
In this recipe, the peaches are pureed. This helps to disperse the peach flavor throughout the ice cream, not just the bites with peach chunks. Also, larger pieces of peaches freeze hard, and it is not easy to chew them.
Make a Peach Syrup
It is easy to make a peach syrup by boiling peach juice until it reduces to a syrup. This will concentrate the peach flavor and also the sugar. I used Simply Peach juice for this recipe, but you can use peach nectar or apricot nectar as substitutes.
Add Lemon Juice
Use lemon juice on the peaches to enhance the peach flavor. This will also keep the cut peaches from turning brown.
Use Peach Extract
Using peach extract also enhances the taste of peaches in desserts. I use this extract sparingly because too much can add an artificial flavor to desserts.
Enjoy!
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 15 minutes |
| Passive Time | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 2 cups peach juice, reduced (Simply Peach used)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh peaches, peeled and pureed
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups whipping cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon peach extract (optional)
Ingredients
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- Place the peach juice into a small saucepan. Boil to reduce the peach juice until there are approximately four tablespoons left. (It might take 15 minutes or more to reduce.) It will be syrupy. Cool in the refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Puree the peaches in a food processor or chopper. Pour peach puree into a bowl and add 1/4 cup sugar and the lemon juice. Stir. Let it sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Stir together 1 1/4 cups of sugar, salt, whipping cream, milk, vanilla extract, and peach extract (if using). Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the peach syrup and the peach puree to the milk mixture and stir. Store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.
- Place the mixture in an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. When it finishes churning, place it in a storage container and freeze for four hours or overnight for hard ice cream. For soft ice cream, serve immediately.
Substitutions
Use Simply Peach Juice Drink for this ice cream, but you can substitute peach nectar or apricot nectar.
Less Sugar
If you prefer less-sweet ice cream, you can reduce the sugar by 1 tablespoon each time you make it until it is the desired sweetness.
Garnish
Make an extra peach puree and spoon it over the ice cream for more peach flavor.