Endless Ice Cream: Peach Basil Mascarpone

This is one of the first ice creams I dreamed about when I got my ice cream maker this past spring. I’ve been patiently waiting for those perfectly, drippingly ripe peaches that signify that the end of summer is inevitably near.

Well, my wait is over, and this ice cream is every bit as delicious as I imagined. If you have extra peaches, I recommend doubling up the roasted peaches and saving the extra puree to mix with your yogurt, oatmeal, or to toss with fresh raspberries.

Peach Basil Mascarpone Ice Cream

Makes about 1.5 quarts

Ingredients

• 1 lb (about 4 medium-large) peaches
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup (30g/1 oz) packed basil leaves, chopped
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1.5 inch (3g) cinnamon stick, smashed
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup (225g/8oz) mascarpone cheese at room temperature

Method

For the peaches:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Bring a 4-quart saucepan of water to a boil. Drop the peaches in and boil for about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into an ice bath. Rub the skins off the peaches and discard. Slice the peaches in half with a pairing knife. Remove the pit and discard.
2. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with foil. Lay the peaches pit-side up in the dish and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Roast for 30 minutes, until soft and glazed. Let cool and puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

For the ice cream:

1. In a 4-quart saucepan over medium high heat, combine the sugar, basil, cream, milk, sugar, salt and cinnamon stick. When the sugar is dissolved and the mixture has just started to steam, remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and return to the saucepan.
2. Return to just a boil over medium-high heat. Take 1 cup of the hot cream and slowly drizzle it into the mascarpone, whisking until smooth and no lumps are left. Slowly drizzle the remaining hot cream into the yolks, whisking constantly. Whisk the egg mixture into the mascarpone mixture, and then return everything to the saucepan. Heat over medium-high for about 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Pour through a mesh sieve and cool over an ice bath.
3. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, 3 hours or up to 3 days. Churn according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Spread half of the ice cream into a shallow, 2-quart dish with an airtight lid. Top with the peach puree and then layer the rest of the ice cream over the puree. Cover with plastic wrap and the airtight lid and freeze for at least 6 hours, or up to 2 weeks.

Find all of our ice cream recipes in Endless Ice Cream