Honeyed Peach and Praline Ice Cream

While doing our weekly grocery shopping I saw a beautiful sight - the first of this year's summer peaches!  And what goes better with summer than peaches?  Well, ice cream of course.

Since I'm finally feeling well enough to get creative in the kitchen again, I pulled out a notepad and started brainstorming some flavor ideas.  I started by cooking down the fresh peaches with sweet honey and then blended them into a puree to be added to the ice cream base.  I prefer using purees instead of larger pieces of fruit as it helps to prevent icy chunks in the finished ice cream.

To add a fun texture I made a batch of easy crunchy almond pralines and crushed them into the ice cream as it churned.  Almonds pair beautifully with any stone fruit and crunchy bits of caramel go well with just about anything.  The finished ice cream has a smooth, creamy texture with tons of sweet peach flavor and a fun nutty crunch.

This is one ice cream that deserves to make an appearance at your summer cookouts this year, for sure!

Honeyed Peach and Praline Ice Cream

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• Yield: approx 1 quart

Ingredients

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• Ice Cream
• 3 large peaches
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 large egg yolks
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or a good vanilla extract)
• 1 cup of homemade almond pralines, crushed into small pieces, plus extra for garnish (can use store bought)
• Crunchy Almond Pralines
• 1 ½ cup sliced almonds
• 2 cups white sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 TBS fresh lemon juice

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Instructions

1. Ice Cream
2. Peel the peaches by lightly scoring an X into the top and bottom of each peach. Drop them into boiling water for 45 seconds and then quickly transfer to an ice bath for 30 seconds and peel using fingers or a paring knife.
3. Dice peaches (removing and discarding the pit) and place into a medium pot with the honey. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover for about 10 minutes or until peaches are very soft.
4. Remove the pot from heat and use an immersion blender to create a puree (or transfer to a regular blender or food processor) Allow mixture to cool.
5. In another medium pot, heat the milk and cream on medium heat until steaming and just starting to simmer, but not yet boiling. While the milk and cream is heating, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar and set aside.
6. Temper the eggs by slowly pouring ⅓ of the heated milk and cream mixture into the yolks and sugar while whisking constantly.
7. Transfer the mixture back to the pot with the rest of the milk and cream and heat until a candy thermometer reads 170F or the mixture coats the back of a spoon (do not allow mixture to reach 180F)
8. Set a mesh strainer over a mixing bowl and pour the cream mixture through the strainer, using the back of a spoon to push the mixture through. Add the peach puree and vanilla paste and stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours (or overnight)
9. Transfer chilled mixture to ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. In the last few minutes of churning, add the 1 cup of crushed almond pralines. Transfer ice cream to freezer safe container and freeze.
10. Crunchy Almond Pralines
11. Pre-heat oven to 350F. Spread the almonds out in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Toast in the oven about 10 minutes or until slightly golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
12. Cover a large cookie sheet with buttered parchment paper and spread the toasted almonds in a single layer (but keep them close to each other)
13. In a medium saucepan on medium-high heat, add the sugar and water, stirring gently with a non-stick spatula until sugar is dissolved.
14. Without stirring, allow the sugar to continue cooking and bubbling until it begins to turn a deep amber color. Immediately add the lemon juice and stir (be careful - it will steam and bubble) and then working quickly, pour the caramel over the almonds in a thin layer. If not all of the nuts are covered, use a non-stick spatula to gently spread the caramel.
15. Allow the caramel to cool completely and then break into pieces.

Notes

I broke the pralines into very small pieces for churning inside of the ice cream, but I left my garnish pieces a bit bigger.

• Author: Erin Browne

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