Active Time

　　1 hr

　　Total Time

　　6 hr (includes freezing)

　　It was summer when we received a letter from a reader requesting a recipe for fruit ice cream that was as lush and rich as Ruth Reichl's chocolate ice cream . The secret is to cook the fruit down to a jamlike consistency with sugar, which lowers the freezing point. We were working on our fall issues at the time, so we developed a seasonally appropriate cranberry ice cream ; we also couldn't resist taking advantage of the local peaches sitting on our countertop. Frozen peaches are a perfectly good stand-in for fresh in this case, and a scoop of peach ice cream on a slice of toasted pound cake can be a beautiful thing in the dead of winter.

　　For the silkiest peach ice cream ever, work with the all-cream base for the cranberry ice cream .

　　

Ingredients

Makes 1 to 1 1/2 quarts

　　2 pounds of fresh or frozen sliced peaches (do not peel if fresh)

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

　　

Step 1

Stir peaches together with sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. While you cool the cooked custard, transfer the peaches and the liquid in the bowl to a 2-quart heavy saucepan and boil, covered, over high heat, stirring, 10 minutes, and then simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes more.

　　

Step 2

Purée the hot mixture in a blender (careful!) until smooth, about 1 minute. Force it through a sieve into the custard mixture, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon and discarding them. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and freeze the custard according to the cranberry ice cream directions.