Caramelized Peach Ice Cream Recipes

CARAMELIZED PEACH ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, lightly score bottom of each peach with an X, using a paring knife. Add peaches to boiling water and blanch until skin is pulling away, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl of ice water. When cool enough to handle, peel and pit peaches. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Combine peaches and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until just caramelized and syrupy, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely. (You should have about 1 1/4 cups.)
• Chill a loaf pan in freezer at least 10 minutes. Freeze and churn custard base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Add peaches at end of churning and churn 5 more minutes; transfer to pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hardened, at least 2 hours; ice cream can be frozen up to 2 weeks ahead.

CARAMELIZED SKILLET PEACHES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, toss together peaches, lemon juice, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
• Melt butter and sugar in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peach mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 5 minutes. If using bourbon or rum, add to skillet, and cook until reduced, about 1 minute.
• Serve immediately over ice cream, if desired.

CARAMELIZED PEACHES OR NECTARINES

Steps:

• Set a strainer over a bowl and cut the nectarines into the strainer, so their juice collects in the bowl.
• Heat the butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
• When it is hot but not smoking, add the nectarines and sauté them until they sizzle and their juices reduce and begin to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Sprinkle the sugar over them and sauté until the juices further thicken and the sugar caramelizes slightly, about 1 minute. You may want to increase the heat under the pan to medium-high.
• Add the lemon juice and sauté until the juices thicken, then add any nectarine juice that collected in the bowl, and shake the pan so that all is well blended.
• Let the nectarines cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the juices are very thick, which will take a minute or so. The total cooking time will be about 6 minutes.
• Transfer the nectarines to 4 warmed dessert plates, or to a warmed serving dish, let sit for about 4 minutes so they are not blistering hot when served.

CARAMELIZED PEACHES

Steps:

• Drain peaches, pouring syrup into a skillet. Place skillet over high heat. Cook until syrup is caramelized (thick and light golden brown), about 10 minutes, stirring gently toward end of cooking so caramel does not burn around edges.
• Add peaches to caramel. Stir in cream. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl, and allow to cool.
• Stir in Cognac and lemon juice. If mixture is too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Cover, and refrigerate until serving.
• To serve, toast brioche slices, and place one on each of four dessert plates. Arrange 2 peach halves on top of each slice, and top with a spoonful or two of sauce. Sprinkle with pistachios, and serve.

CARAMELIZED PEACH UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Melt 2 teaspoons butter, then brush muffin cups with some of it. Chill muffin tin 2 minutes to set butter. Line bottom of each muffin cup with a round of parchment paper, then brush cups and parchment with remaining melted butter and chill 2 minutes more. Divide 1 teaspoon flour among muffin cups and shake to coat, knocking out excess flour.
• Cut an X in bottom of each peach and immerse peaches in a large pot of boiling water until skins loosen, about 15 seconds. Transfer peaches with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to cool. Peel peaches, then pit and halve lengthwise. Cut peach halves lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then cut slices crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then stir in 3 tablespoons brown sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is melted and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Carefully add a scant 2 cups peaches (caramel will splatter and sugar will seize), reserving remaining 1/3 cup peaches, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until peaches are tender and caramel is syrupy, 6 to 8 minutes. Spoon cooked peaches and caramel evenly into muffin cups.
• Purée reserved peaches in a blender until smooth. Beat together eggs, salt, almond extract, and remaining 6 tablespoons brown sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until mixture is creamy and tripled in volume, 3 to 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 6 to 8 minutes with a handheld. Reduce speed to low, then add puréed peaches and mix until just combined. Sift remaining 6 tablespoons flour evenly over egg mixture and fold in gently but thoroughly until just combined.
• Spoon batter over caramelized peaches and bake until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool in muffin tin on a rack 2 to 3 minutes, then invert a platter over muffin tin and flip cakes onto platter while still warm. Reposition any peaches that have stuck to parchment and serve cakes warm or at room temperature.