Ben and Jerry's Copycat: Cool Fresh Peach Ice Cream

Many years ago I had the honor of learning to make ice cream like Ben and Jerry's. Over the years I have made alterations to the recipes to compliment regional fruits. Recipe below.

Peach Ice CreamPhoto byDaVinci app / edit by Colorado Martini

In the region of the county I live in, we are famous for our peaches. They are large, sweet, and juicy. In August, I am always looking for recipes to use peaches. You can not go wrong with a peach ice cream recipe.

Ben and Jerry's Fresh Peach Ice Cream

Ben and Jerry's makes their "Fresh Georgi Peach" ice cream with unpeeled peaches. In my opinion, whether you make your ice cream with skins on is up to you. I make my peach ice cream with skins on. Only because I feel it is more nutritious and it is a lot easier.

Why You Should Buy An Ice Cream Maker

At this moment, it is a typical hot August day. It is predicted to get in the high 90s in my region all week. This is when I break out the ice cream maker. If you don't have one, I highly recommend getting one. There is nothing like the taste of homemade fresh fruit ice cream on a hot summer day.

Ice cream makers are cheap. I have used the same style of ice cream maker for decades. I use a 4-quart, electric motorized maker that uses ice & rock salt. In my view, anything smaller is too small. Using this style, I can make creamy ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt, and sorbet. You can find this style for around $50.00 or less. But it is well worth the cost. Store-bought does not hold a candle to homemade. Click to see the style I use.

Do you have an ice cream maker or do you think you might buy one? Let us know in the comments.

Fresh Peach Ice Cream

The key to creamy ice cream is ice and rock salt. Regular salt will not cut it. A box of rock salt can be found in most grocery market baking sections. It is cheap and one box will last for many batches of ice cream.

Rock salt for ice cream making.Photo byColorado Martini

Alternating layers of ice and rock salt will make an "ice cast" around your ice cream maker's metal canister. Some say the smaller the ice pieces the better. It is thought to make a creamer ice cream. But I use the ice from my freezer. I used to buy a bag of ice to get those small pieces. But I like the freezer ice just fine.

It is this "ice cast" that helps make an even and creamy ice cream. If I know I will be making ice cream, I start collecting freezer ice cubes in a plastic bag. Then I keep them in the freezer until I am ready for them. That way I know I have enough to reach the top of the ice cream maker's canister.

The one ingredient that I feel makes Ben and Jerry's ice cream so good, is the eggs they add. When I started making ice cream, the recipe did not call for eggs and had a lot of ice crystals in it (not creamy). I started using eggs when I learned how to make Ben and Jerry's ice cream. It made all the difference in the world.

The other key to creamy ice cream is cream of course. It is even in the name. The fatter the cream, the creamer the ice cream. Milk with the highest fat content is heavy cream. Also referred to as whipping cream. You will see many ice cream recipes call for heavy cream and half and half. Both are the highest in fat content. If you use non-fat milk, your ice cream will not have a creamy texture. It will become what we use to call ice milk. In the recipe below, we call for milk. I recommend whole milk due to its fat content.

• 2 cups finely chopped ripe (unpeeled or peeled)
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• rock salt
• ice cubes

1. In a medium-sized bowl, add peaches, ½ cup of sugar, and lemon juice. Combine well. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours. Stir several times over the 2 hours. The sugar and lemon will bring out the flavor of the peaches and soften them. I think of it as a ceviche of peaches.
2. Add eggs to a mixing bowl or the ice maker canister. Whisk until light and fluffy. Add the rest of the sugar to the egg mixture, adding a little sugar at a time. Whisk until completely blended.
3. In the ice maker container, add the cream and milk. In the same container, whisk in the egg mixture.
4. Remove the peach mixture from the refrigerator. Drain the juice into another bowl. Return the peaches to the refrigerator. Add the peach juice to the milk mixture in the canister. Blend well.
5. Place the ice maker canister into the ice cream maker bucket. Insert the paddle into the cream mixture. Then attach the paddle to the motor (follow the machine instructions). Start the ice cream maker so the paddle is stirring the cream mixture. Immediately, start laying the ice and rock salt around the rotating container. a 1-inch layer of ice then about a cup of rock salt, repeat alternating ice than salt layers until your layers reach the top of the canister. Now walk away and let the goodness freeze and get creamy. Depending on your machine, it takes from 30-45 minutes. If the ice cast is melting too fast, add more layers to bring it back up to the top of the canister.
6. The type of machine I use will let me know it is almost done if you hear it struggling to turn. If it stops, it is ready. The struggle means it has thickened and is a soft-serve ice cream.
7. Keep the canister in the ice mixture to keep the ice cream from melting. Take care not to get any of the ice-salt mixture inside the container. Open the top of the container. Pull out the paddle and set aside. Stir in the remaining peaches. Cover the container with its lid and paddle hole stopper. The stopper is most likely a cork.
8. Place the ice cream bucket and container in the sink. Immediately remove the canister from the bucket. With cold water, rinse off salt from the outside of the container. Wipe and dry the container with a towel. You will be sorry if you don't get all the saline (salt mixture) off. Someone in my family did this once and it ate into the metal canister and destroyed it.
9. Immediately place the canister into the freezer for stiffening. It is OK to put the soft ice cream into some other container for stiffing. Just make sure whatever you use is the final container for the ice cream.
10. Makes 1-quart. Enjoy!

More Peach Recipes

• Easy Homemade Peach Cobbler - A Delicious Summer Dessert
• Fresh Palisade Peach Pie: Juicy & Easy Recipe
  

Have you ever had peach ice cream? Let us know in the comments.

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