Lemon verbena ice cream and peaches
June 13, 2020
: 8
: 30 min
: Intermediate
New-season peaches herald the arrival of summer. The tartness pairs beautifully with lemon verbena, while the notes of caramel add depth and sweetness. Get ahead by making the ice cream the day before.
Ingredients
- For the ice cream::
- 300ml organic whole milk
- 150ml double cream
- 1 teaspoon high-quality vanilla paste
- 4 organic egg yolks
- 100g golden caster sugar
- 2 handfuls fresh lemon verbena leaves
- For the peaches:
- 4-5 fresh peaches, pitted and sliced
- 70g golden caster sugar
- 25g unsalted butter
- ¼ cup bourbon (we used Michter’s US*1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
Directions
- Step 1 For the ice cream:
- Step 2 Add the milk, cream and vanilla paste into a medium-sized saucepan and bring to the boil.
- Step 3 Once the milk mixture is hot, put the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk on medium-high until the egg mixture is pale and thick.
- Step 4 When the egg mixture reaches this stage slowly start to add the hot milk mixture while beating continuously. (If you add the milk all at once the egg mixture could curdle).
- Step 5 Once the milk mixture is completely incorporated, return the mixture to the saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring continuously until it thickens. It will be ready when the temperature reaches 80 degrees Celcius or coats the back of your spoon.
- Step 6 Pour the mixture into a bowl and add the lemon verbena leaves. Leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
- Step 7 Strain the mixture to remove the lemon verbena leaves and chill in the fridge for 4-6 hours (or overnight).
- Step 8 Once the mixture is chilled, start your ice cream maker and pour the mixture through the opening. Churn for 20-30 minutes until you reached the desired consistency. (Do not over churn or the ice cream will become buttery).
- Step 9 Serve immediately and store the rest in a freezer-proof container for up to 1 week. The recipe yields about 1 litre of ice cream.
- Step 10 For the peaches:
- Step 11 Heat a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat. Add the sugar and allow it to melt and caramelise. Do not stir or disturb it.
- Step 12 Once you have an amber caramel, remove it from the heat immediately and stir in the butter, vanilla paste and salt. Keep stirring and slowly add the bourbon.
- Step 13 Return the pan to medium-low heat and dissolve any hardened caramel.
- Step 14 Add the peaches and cook until they have softened and the caramel is just coating them. (The cook time will vary depending on how ripe the peaches are. Firmer fruit could take up to forty minutes, while riper fruit could take as little as ten minutes.)
- Step 15 Allow to cool for five-ten minutes and serve with the lemon verbena ice cream.
Variations:
- If you have time, you could macerate the peaches before using them, by coating the peach slices in 2 tablespoons of golden caster and leaving them to sit for 30 minutes.
- The caramelised peaches are also delicious with vanilla ice cream or served with granola and coconut yoghurt for breakfast.
“Happy the Man, and happy he alone,
He, who can call today his own:
He who, secure within, can say,
Tomorrow do thy worst, for I have lived today.
Be fair, or foul, or rain, or shine,
The joys I have possessed, in spite of that, are mine.”
– Horace
Take some time to reflect on this passage. Are you able to enjoy life without attachment to the circumstances around you?
