Roasted Peach & Mint Ice Cream
This recipe guides you in creating a luxurious roasted peach and mint ice cream. Peaches are roasted to intensify their flavor, then combined with a delicate mint-infused custard base. The mixture is then chilled and churned to produce a refreshing and sophisticated dessert, perfect for a warm day.
Equipment
- 1 Baking Sheet For roasting peaches.
- 2 Saucepan One for heating cream, one for cooking custard.
- 1 Fine-mesh Sieve To strain mint from the cream base.
- 1 Whisk For tempering egg yolks and stirring custard.
- 1 Ice Cream Maker Essential for churning.
Ingredients
Main
- 1-1/2 lb. fresh peaches or about 5 small peaches, peeled, halved, and pitted
- 1-2 T of granulated sugar + a few pinches of kosher salt for sprinkling on peaches before roasting
- 1 T butter cut into a few small pieces
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 cup packed fresh mint leaves see note above
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel, halve, and pit the peaches. Arrange them cut-side up on a baking sheet, sprinkle with 1-2 T sugar and a few pinches of kosher salt, and dot with butter.
- Roast peaches for 20-30 minutes, or until tender and slightly caramelized. Let cool completely, then roughly chop or mash them.
- In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, 2/3 cup sugar, and 1 cup packed fresh mint leaves. Heat over medium heat until just simmering, then remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15-30 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the 5 large egg yolks until light and creamy.
- Reheat the mint-infused cream mixture gently. Gradually whisk about half of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks to temper them, then slowly pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream.
- Cook the custard over low to medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (nappe stage). Do not boil.
- Remove from heat immediately, stir in vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove mint leaves and any potential cooked egg bits.
- Add the cooled roasted peach puree to the strained custard base. Stir well to combine.
- Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until thoroughly chilled (40°F/4°C or below).
- Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for another 2-4 hours, or until firm, before serving.
Notes
Achieving perfectly roasted peaches is key; sprinkle with just enough sugar and salt to enhance their natural sweetness and caramelization without making them syrupy. The butter adds a lovely richness. For the mint infusion, gently steep the mint leaves in the warm cream mixture off the heat to extract their essence without bitterness. Over-boiling mint can result in an astringent flavor. When making the custard, temper your egg yolks carefully to prevent scrambling, and cook to the 'nappe' stage (coats the back of a spoon) for a silky smooth texture. Ensure the custard is fully chilled before churning for the best ice cream consistency. A small pinch of acidity, like a squeeze of fresh lemon juice with the peaches, can brighten the overall profile.