Happy Peach Ice Cream Day!

Actually, Peach Ice Cream Day is tomorrow, so you all have time to join in the celebration. Louise, thanks for that joyous little tidbit. I never find myself celebrating things at the right time, so this was a lucky break!

In my farmer's shipment, I received a good dozen of the most glorious, sweet smelling, tender peaches you can imagine, and I knew they needed to be something special. I hadn't even found Louise's post about Peach Ice Cream Day (although I knew that July was Ice Cream Month, quite appropriately, I might add), but I thought this was something I could dig my spoon into. So, with minimal fuss, try....

PEACHES & CREAM ICE CREAM

6 peaches, about 2 pounds, cut into chunks, stones removed
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups cream

Place the peach chunks into the food processor and whirl until they're very finely chopped. Technically, I think you might be required to take the skin off, but I thought that since I'd washed them, I saw no reason not to add some healthful fiber to my ice cream. No one noticed. Sorry, I digress. After you've pulverized the peaches for a while, sprinkle on the 1/4 cup sugar, whirl a little longer to get the sugar and peaches blended, and let the mix sit for about an hour. (While the hour passes, eat a couple of the extra peaches you bought. You know you want to. I did.) After the time has elapsed, whisk the remaining sugar into the milk, combining well. Whisk in the vanilla and cream, then gently stir in the peach mixture, and process in your ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer's directions.
If you don't have an ice cream maker, put the mixture in a nice round bowl, put it in the freezer for about an hour, take out and stir with a whisk to break up the ice crystals, and return to the freezer. Do this again about an hour thereafter, then reduce the time between stirrings to 30 minutes. It will take about 4 hours, but you will get to sample your ice cream as it freezes to be certain it's behaving properly. I've been told cooking calories (which would include freezing calories) don't count against your diet. Honest.

My daughter's friend came for dinner last night, and was amazed to find the homemade ice cream in the freezer. Of course, I fed her some, since she said she'd never had any. She loved this. So did everyone else, including my infamous picky eaters.
So, you need to get yourself some Peach Ice Cream ingredients, so you can join in the celebration tomorrow! Have a Peachy weekend!