Roasted Peach Caramel Ice Cream

When summer peaches are at their fragrant best, roasting them concentrates their sweetness into something extraordinary — and folded into a caramel custard ice cream, they become pure summer in a bowl. This is a rich, creamy frozen treat, deeply flavored with roasted fruit and buttery caramel, the kind of homemade ice cream that puts any store version to shame. It takes a little patience and a churn, but a spoonful on a hot day makes every minute worth it.

The Roasted Peach Puree

Roast the peaches until their sugars caramelize and their flavor deepens, then puree them for the ice cream base. Roasting is the secret here — it concentrates the peaches' sweetness and adds a subtle depth that fresh fruit alone cannot match, giving the ice cream its rich, summery character.

The Caramel Custard and Churn

Build a caramel custard base, swirl in the roasted peach puree, and churn it until creamy. A proper custard base gives the ice cream its rich, smooth texture, and the caramel deepens the whole thing — churn until thick, then freeze until firm for scoopable, luxurious results.

Jorj Morgan

Roasted Peach Caramel Ice Cream

Sun-kissed peaches, deeply roasted to unlock their golden sweetness, are swirled into a silken caramel custard, creating an ice cream of unparalleled depth and elegance.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Chilling Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 5 hours hrs

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Dessert

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

The Roasted Peach Puree

• 6 to 8 medium fresh peaches peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

The Caramel Custard Base

• 3 cups half-and-half
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 cups heavy cream

Method

 

Roast and Puree the Peaches

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Place the peeled and thinly sliced peaches onto a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the peaches and toss gently to coat.
4. Roast in the hot oven until the peaches begin to break down, release their juices, and turn deeply golden, about 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Allow the roasted peaches to cool slightly.
6. Transfer the fruit and all pan juices to a blender and puree until completely smooth. (You should yield about 2 cups of thick peach puree).

Heat the Cream

1. In a medium saucepan, gently heat the half-and-half and vanilla extract over medium heat.
2. Heat just until tiny bubbles begin to form along the edges of the pan, about 5 to 6 minutes. (Do not let it boil).
3. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Build the Wet Caramel

1. In a separate, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the 1 cup of granulated sugar and ¼ cup of water.
2. Heat over medium until the sugar completely dissolves, about 2 minutes.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the sugar syrup to a rolling boil.
4. Continue boiling without stirring until the sugar begins to turn a deep caramel amber color, about 8 minutes.
5. Gently swirl the pan by the handle to ensure the sugar colors evenly.

Combine the Caramel and Cream

1. Remove the caramel from the heat.
2. Very carefully and slowly pour the warm half-and-half mixture into the hot caramel. (Caution: The mixture will violently bubble up and expand).
3. If the bubbles rise too high, stop pouring, allow them to settle, and then continue pouring in the remaining liquid, whisking until smooth.

Temper the Eggs and Thicken

1. Place the 6 egg yolks into a medium mixing bowl and whisk them gently.
2. While whisking the eggs constantly, slowly drizzle in about ¼ cup of the hot caramel mixture. (This tempers the yolks so they do not scramble).
3. Pour the tempered egg yolks back into the main saucepan with the remaining caramel cream.
4. Reduce the stovetop heat to medium.
5. Stir the custard constantly with a wooden spoon until it thickens enough to heavily coat the back of the spoon, about 5 minutes.
6. Remove from the heat.

Chill and Churn

1. Pour the thickened custard through a fine-mesh sieve or colander into a clean, large mixing bowl to remove any cooked egg bits.
2. Stir the reserved roasted peach puree into the smooth custard base.
3. Create an ice bath by placing the custard bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice and cold water.
4. Stir occasionally until the mixture reaches room temperature, about 20 minutes.
5. Cover the custard tightly with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
6. Pour the deeply chilled custard into the bowl of your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions.
7. Serve immediately for a soft-serve texture, or transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.