Peach Gelato

Denser, smoother and more flavorful than ice cream, gelato’s smaller ice crystals and less fat (a good thing!) mean we can taste its true flavor to the fullest. That’s especially important in this peach gelato, where real peaches impart their deeply sweet, creamy, summery flavor into the frozen treat.

Egg yolks make the base extra-custardy and rich, and you can even punch up the peachiness with a splash of peach schnapps. Source those super-sweet summer peaches that are so juicy you have to stand over the kitchen sink to eat them. If you have any extra peaches left, roast them until they’re sticky, concentrated and caramelized, and spoon them over scoops of your peach gelato. Yum.

Ingredients for Peach Gelato

• Peaches: When selecting peaches from the store, try to find ones that have a strong peach aroma.
• Whole milk: Whole milk is the base of gelato. Avoid swapping in milk with a lower fat percentage or your gelato will be icy and hard after churning and freezing.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the gelato. Avoid using brown sugar, as it may discolor the gelato.
• Egg yolks: Separate the egg whites from the yolks and save the egg whites for later use. They’re great for recipes like omelets, meringue cookies and angel food cake.
• Heavy whipping cream: Heavy whipping cream thins the gelato base without taking away the rich flavor.
• Peach schnapps: Peach schnapps will add a concentrated peach flavor to the gelato.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the peaches

Place the peeled and sliced peaches and water in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, until the peaches are fork-tender.

Step 2: Puree the peaches

Place the peaches in a food processor. Cover and process the peaches until they’re completely blended and smooth. Set the puree aside.

Step 3: Temper the eggs

In a small saucepan, heat the whole milk to 175°F, then stir in the sugar until it’s dissolved. Whisk a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the bowl of egg yolks. Return the egg-milk mixture to the saucepan, whisking constantly.

Editor’s Tip: I like to add 1/4 cup hot milk to the egg yolks. You just want to add a little bit to introduce the two without overwhelming the eggs.

Step 4: Cook the gelato base

Cook the gelato base over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and a thermometer reads at least 160°. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Remove the gelato base from the heat immediately.

Step 5: Add the cream and peaches

Quickly pour the gelato base into a large bowl. Place the bowl in a roasting pan or a larger bowl of ice water. Stir the gelato base gently and occasionally with a rubber spatula for two minutes.

Stir in the heavy whipping cream, peach puree and liqueur, if using. Press storage wrap directly onto the surface of the gelato base. Refrigerate the gelato base for several hours or overnight.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t skip refrigerating overnight! This allows the fat to resolidify and the flavors to meld together a bit more, making your gelato creamier and more flavorful.

Step 6: Churn

Fill the cylinder of your ice cream maker two-thirds full of the gelato base. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Refrigerate any remaining mixture until you’re ready to freeze it.

Step 7: Freeze

Transfer the gelato to freezer-safe containers, leaving a 1/2-inch of headspace for expansion. Freeze the gelato until firm, two to four hours. Repeat with any remaining gelato mixture.

Recipe Variations

• Add more peach flavor: Create a peach ripple in the gelato with peach jam or peach butter. Once the gelato is finished churning, scoop half of it into the container, spread it out, dollop a few tablespoons of the jam or butter, and use a toothpick to swirl. Add the last half of the gelato, spread it out, dollop a few more tablespoons of jam or butter, and swirl the top half of the gelato a bit.
• Infuse herbs or dried flowers: To add more flavor naturally to this peach gelato, steep herbs or dried flowers, like basil, rosemary, chamomile or lavender, in the whole milk. To do this, bring the whole milk to a simmer in a saucepan, then turn off the heat, add the desired ingredient and place the lid on. Let it steep for 20 minutes, then fish the ingredients out or strain the milk, reserving the milk and discarding the ingredients. Use the whole milk as directed in the recipe.

How to Store Peach Gelato

Peach gelato can be stored in the freezer for up to two weeks. I love storing my homemade ice cream in a long, cylindrical container so it’s easy to scoop when it’s time to serve.

Can you make peach gelato ahead of time?

Yes, you can make peach gelato ahead of time. The base needs to chill overnight, and the gelato must set up for at least two to four hours in the freezer after churning. If you’re making this recipe for a party, I’d make the base two days beforehand, then churn the gelato the following day so it’s in the freezer the day before serving.

Peach Gelato Tips

How can you make peaches ripen quickly?

To quickly ripen peaches, close them in a brown paper bag and let them hang out at room temperature. This traps the ethylene gas, which ripens the peaches more quickly. You can even add another fruit to speed up the process.

How do you peel peaches?

To peel peaches, place them in a pot of boiling water until the skin splits, 10 to 20 seconds. Fish them out with a strainer and immediately submerge them in an ice bath until they’re cool enough to handle. Finally, use a paring knife to carefully peel off the outer skin and discard it. Although you can eat peach skin, it’s not something we want in our smooth peach gelato.

Why did my eggs curdle while tempering?

Your eggs may have curdled during tempering if you added them straight into the pot of hot liquid. Doing this will immediately cook the beaten eggs. Instead, add the hot liquid into the bowl of beaten eggs a little bit at a time, no more than 1/4 cup, and whisk continuously and immediately so the eggs don’t scramble. This technique introduces the hot liquid with the eggs so everything can come together easily.

Pour the egg-milk mixture into the saucepan and whisk until cooked. If you still notice a few scrambled eggs in the saucepan, strain the liquid into a bowl after it comes to temperature.