Fresh Peach Ice Cream made with Raw Milk

by Lindsey Johnson on July 18th, 2019 | No Comments »

One of my favorite places to visit is a farm in Heber, Utah, about an hour away from where I live. The Heber Valley Creamery specializes in artisan cheese, but they also sell their fabulous raw milk. I was lucky to be a part of the #DairyGood Mom It Forward blogger event where we toured the farm and learned to make mozzarella from raw milk. The farm was busy that day and raw milk sold out while I was there. I was heartbroken! I had big plans for ice cream using the raw milk. Luckily, Jyl Pattee snagged me a bottle a few weeks later during another Mom It Forward event and sent it home to me with another friend who lives nearby—I was overjoyed. At our house when summer arrives that means ice cream and peaches. And periodically, peach ice cream. We absolutely love fresh peach ice cream made with raw milk.

I often tell friends that raw milk makes the best ice cream. It just tastes better to me because it's so fresh. If you don't have raw milk available to you, or if you prefer pasteurized milk, don't worry, the ice cream will still be delicious! Just use 2 cups of whole milk in place of the raw milk.

This ice cream recipe is very simple. It does not require cooking—all you need is a whisk! If you don't have an ice cream maker, that's fine too. I've included instructions for that at the bottom of the recipe.

This recipe is also great for making homemade popsicles. Just pour the ice cream mixture into molds, and freeze. Depending on how many molds you have, you'll probably have to do this in several batches.

Raw milk is typically not homogenized, so there will be a cream that will separate from the rest of the milk and rest on top. Be sure to shake the raw milk before you measure so the cream gets mixed back in.

Peach Ice Cream Made with Raw Milk

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
2 cups raw milk, shaken (or whole milk)
2 cups diced peaches (can use bottled or canned if fresh aren't available)
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
Juice of 1 regular lemon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean, scraped)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

Mix peaches with 1/4 cup granulated sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract. Mash well and let stand until sugar has dissolved and peaches have released their juices. Chill until very cold.

Meanwhile, whisk heavy cream and raw milk together with 3/4 cup granulated sugar until sugar is dissolved. Chill until very cold.

Add the milk/cream mixture to a 1 1/2 quart ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer directions. When the ice cream has finished churning, transfer to a large, freezer-proof container. Fold in the cold peach mixture. Cover tightly and put in freezer to harden before serving. (Or you can eat the ice cream with the peaches as a sauce.)

To make without an ice cream maker:
Pour the prepared ice cream base into a large freezer-proof bowl or container (a metal bowl works really well because it will help the ice cream freeze quickly.) Carefully place the bowl in the freezer and leave it be for about an hour. After an hour, remove the bowl from the freezer and whisk well. You'll notice that the liquid will have started freezing around the edges of the bowl. Put the bowl back into the freezer and repeat the whisking process every 30 to 45 minutes until the ice cream has thickened and is the consistency of frozen yogurt. Cover and let harden for a few more hours before scooping, or serve as is for soft serve ice cream.

Yields about 2 quarts. Note: To make in a large, 6 quart ice cream maker, you can triple the recipe.

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Lindsey Johnson writes the food blog, Cafe Johnsonia. She also writes the Secrets to Living Well column for Design Mom, and shares weekly recipes on Petit Elefant and Make and Takes. She and her husband live in Utah with their three kids.

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