Our family is from Georgia, so we grew up eating an assortment of peach everything; peach pie (especially at The Varsity), peach cobbler, or just juicy, summer-ripe peaches right off the tree.
Georgia is home to an assortment of peach orchards that have attained local fame for not only their fruit, but the delicious things they make with it; Southern Belle’s cobblers and jellies, Lane’s peach Pie and, last but not least, Dickey Farm’s insanely peachy icecream. This icecream isn’t Bryers Peach, which is pretty much vanilla with a few somewhat peach tasting chunks; the icecream itself is blended with straight juice, creating a rich, creamy, bold peach flavor with bits of fruit mixed throughout. But what do you do if you don’t live in Georgia? You make it yourself!
While California is now the top peach producing state, Georgia will forever remain the real “Peach State”. Do a little experiment; it’s peach season, so go to the store, find a Georgia and California peach. You should be able to find each pretty easy, just read the sticker. Which one is juicier and sweeter? We’ve found Georgia peaches are always better, just like Florida oranges are the best. We make our peach ice cream with authentic Georgia selections from our local orchards.
What Youll Need
-8 lbs of peaches(pre peeled weight)
– 12 oz can of evaporated milk
– 3 1/3 cups of organic cane sugar
– 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
– 3 eggs
– 8 cups of organic milk
– Lots of ice and rock salt
– Icecream Machine
You’ll want to peel your peaches first. We tried the blanching method and it worked like a dream. I was worried because I’ve had so many Pinterest fails. First slit an “x” into the bottom of each peach.
Place a few at a time into boiling water for 30 seconds. Immediately toss them in an ice water bath afterwards.
Start peeling! Some will be harder to peel than others, but this method makes it a million times easier to make any peach dessert.
Slice them up and toss them in a large mixing bowl. Start mushing with a potato masher. It’s really your preference whether you want it chunky or puréed. Dickey Farm’s icecream is well blended. We did something somewhat in the middle to mimic my grandmother’s old fashioned recipe. We sprinkled a litttle extra sugar on the peaches.
Mix all ingredients, except for the milk, with an electric mixer. Pour the concoction into your metal ice cream tube that comes with the machine. Most have a “fill line” showing how much milk to add. But if it doesn’t, 8 cups is about right. Now is the time to add the milk.
I’d go into detail on how to run the machine, but all are different although simple. Read the directions and also follow instructions on layering ice and rock salt around the edges.
After it’s done, it will keep surprisingly long by just floating in the salty, icy water. But if it’s not finished up by bedtime ( that doesn’t happen here), then you can scoop it into containers and freeze it for later.
We love peach ice cream, and there’s no better Georgia treat during the hot, humid summer. You can explore the most iconic flavor of Georgia from your very own kitchen.