Honey and Stone Fruit Ice Cream

This is from my draft folder.  Amid many computer problems that last few years, many posts fell by the wayside.  Pictures were lost on my other computer, to be found later.  You know how it is.

What I do remember about this recipe is how glorious it is.  Besides taking some cues from Dorie Greenspan’s, Baking:  From My Home To Yours, I took one from The Martha.

Martha steeps the pits and peels in the hot milk.  It makes for a much stronger fruit flavor, which I really like.  If that’s not your thing, or seems like too much effort, then go ahead and omit that step.

I’m getting excited for local summer fruit.  The stone fruit trees in my neighborhood have teeny green fruit on them.  Just another month or so and I’ll be picking apricots off my neighbor’s tree.  And then I’ll make this with apricots.

Feel free to substitute other fruits–cherries, apricots, apriums, pluots, etc.  The only fruit that really needs to be peeled are peaches, if you use them.

Honey-Stone Fruit Ice Cream
adapted from Baking: From my Home To Yours and Martha Stewart Living Cookbook

Ingredients:
2 lbs. assorted stone fruits (I used nectarines, plums and peaches), peel from peaches and pits reserved
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:
Chop half of the fruit into 1/2 inch chunks and toss them in a small saucepan. Add the honey and bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover the pan and cook until the peaches are soft (about 10 minutes). Scrape the mixture into a blender or food processor and puree. Set aside.

Bring the milk, cream, fruit peels and pits to a boil in a saucepan.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let steep for about 15-30 minutes.  Strain through a sieve, pressing on the peels to extract as much liquid as possible.  Discard the solids and pour the liquid back into the pan.

Meanwhile, whisk the yolks and sugar together until blended in a heatproof bowl.  Reheat the milk/cream mixture until very hot.  Drizzle in a bit of the hot milk/cream mixture to temper the eggs (making sure they don’t curdle). Slowly add the rest of the milk mixture. Pour the milk/egg mixture back into the saucepan and heat while stirring until it thickens. Remove from the heat, pour into a heatproof bowl, and stir in the vanilla and peach puree.

Refrigerate the custard until chilled. Scrape into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. While the ice cream is churning, dice the remaining fruit (peel the peaches if using, but the other fruit doesn’t need to be peeled).  Chill until ready to use.

When the ice cream is ready, transfer to a freezer-proof bowl.  Stir in the chilled, diced fruit.  Press a piece of waxed paper on the surface of the ice cream and replace the lid.  Freeze for at least 2 hours until it is firm enough to scoop.

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.