I am hoping you’ve had a wonderful weekend! My mind and kitchen (and grill) have seen a buzz with some great new summer recipes to share in the next few weeks! For regular readers, seeing another grill recipe today will not come as a surprise. I’m finding myself happiest this summer after hours of being doused with smoke from experimenting on the grill and with smoking. I text girlfriends when meeting up for last minute cocktails apologizing in advance that I’ll most likely be the one smelling like a campfire.
With peaches coming into season the idea of a Grilled Peach Mascarpone Ice Cream popped to mind. It’s been awhile since I’ve made ice cream and the idea of deeply sweet grilled peaches sounded perfect. Grilling fruit isn’t usually the first thing to pop into one’s mind however it deepens the flavor and for some things, for instance this Grilled Watermelon with Smoked Salt and Jalapeno Slices, transforms it into a completely new flavor profile. When watermelon is grilled it becomes very savory, tasting much more like a vegetable than what we are used to at summer picnics.
Combining grilled fruit and vegetables make wonderful salads and relishes. A family favorite is Grilled Corn and Peach Salsa I made a few summers ago. It’s beautiful to behold and the flavors of sweet and spicy made earthy with grilling a great summer surprise.
This Grilled Peach Mascarpone Ice Cream has a bit of a tang from the mascarpone cheese which also creates a creamy texture. A little trick I added was to include some cinnamon sticks in the ice cream base as it cools. This imparts a light cinnamon flavor to the ice cream without overwhelming the peach flavor. Ripe peaches are included in the ice cream (pureed) for flavor along with chunks of grilled peaches. Grilling some peaches to garnish when serving tops it all off!
Freestone vs. Clingstone Peaches: every year I excitedly jump at the first peaches showing up at my local market, usually with a recipe in mind that is best served by pretty peach halves or slices. I always feel like a head slap is in order when beginning to peel and remove the pit, only ending up with a pulpy mess. As the names imply, freestone peaches release beautifully from the pit making them the right choice for slicing or any recipe where you want them to look pretty. Clingstones hold on the pit for dear life but still taste great so for jam, a sauce or a smoothie they work great. Generally the type of the peach, freestone or clingstone, is not noted on the grocery sign and visually they cannot be distinguished from each other. The way to know is by the calendar. Clingstones pop up first and are usually done by the end of June or early July (depending on your region) when the freestones arrive and carry out the rest of summer. When in doubt, check with your grocer or farmer to be sure you are selecting the right type for your recipe plans.
Grilled Peach Mascarpone Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup Half and Half
- ½ cup Whole Milk
- ¾ cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 3 ½- inch Cinnamon Sticks (normal size, not extra-long)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 8 ounces Mascarpone Cheese
- 2 very ripe medium-sized freestone Peaches , peeled, pitted and juice reserved (_Note: they will be pureed with the ice cream base so do not have to be a specific form after peeling and pitting_)
- 2 ripe but firm medium-sized freestone Peaches , peeled, pitted, cut into 4 thick slices
- Olive oil
- Optional: additional peaches to grill for garnish when serving the ice cream
Instructions
- Combine the half and half, whole milk and sugar in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Stir often to dissolve the sugar and prohibit the mixture from burning. Once mixture is heated and sugar is dissolved turn off the heat.
- Add the cinnamon sticks to the sauce pan and allow to steep for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, remove and discard the cinnamon sticks. Pour the cooled mixture into a blender along with the lemon juice, mascarpone cheese and very ripe peaches with any juice released from peeling them. Puree in the blender until smooth. Refrigerate the mixture until chilled; 2-3 hours.
- Process the ice cream mixture in an ice cream machine following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- While the ice cream is processing, grill the peaches. Heat the grill to medium-high (350-375 degrees). Clean and oil the grill. Brush both sides of the peach slices lightly with olive oil and grill for 2 minutes per side. Remove and allow to cool slightly (about 5 minutes). Chop into small pieces to go into the ice cream mixture.
- When the ice cream is almost done, add the chopped grilled peaches to the machine and allow to fully mix into the ice cream. Remove the ice cream and spoon it into a freezer-safe container. Allow to freeze fully for several hours or overnight. Additional peach wedges can be grilled the same as the slices to garnish the ice cream when served.
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
What a beautiful ice cream. Love everything about it from the grilled peaches to the mascarpone!
Toni Dash says
Thank you Jennifer! This was a big hit and a great way to get more of the delicious peaches that are available right now.
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
That sounds absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to make this for my family!
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
YUM! I love peach ice cream. I’ve never tried it like this before. This is gourmet quality deliciousness!
Melissa Pezza says
This is delicious, peachy Heaven! I can’t even begin to describe how much I want to eat this. I see ice cream in our future!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
Oh wow, great minds think alike, I have a grilled fruit recipe up today! This ice cream sounds incredible — I am now officially craving it!
Catherine S says
This sounds so good I love peaches and ice cream. I have never made my own ice cream.
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
I love this combination and it looks wonderful! The ice cream has a gorgeous texture. Yummy summer treat!
Liz Mays says
What a delicious looking treat. I’ve been really into peaches lately so this would be perfect!
Marcie W. says
This entire recipe looks fantastic! i plan to coax my husband into grilling more fruit and I had no idea there were different types of peaches.
Kennedy Cole@KCole's Creative Corner says
This looks just downright delicious! I love grilled fruit. It adds a deep flavor which is just YUM 😉 This is right up my alley cuz’ I LOVE homemade ice cream 🙂
Pam says
This sounds amazing. I love mascarpone ANYTHING. I can’t wait to make this.
Veronica says
I’ll take it with fresh peaches. Not so sure about the grilling
Penelope says
Please send this to me immediately! I am kicking myself for not having any peaches in the house.
Crystal says
Ice cream can seem like dessert for children (not that I’m ever deterred from a bowl-full), but this is glamorous, grown-up ice cream.
Sabrina @ Dinner, then Dessert says
Grilling fruit can unleash a great caramelized flavor if the sugars in the fruit cook properly! Thanks for the recipe!
Rosey says
I’ve heard grilled peaches are amazing. I’d love to try them, esp. w/a recipe like this one!
Jeanine says
WHAT! This looks and sounds like the most amazing ice cream ever. I am most definitely going to try to make some of this.
Christie says
Grilled peaches are one of my fave summer desserts! Can I have 2 bowls?
Toni Dash says
YES, you can!
Brandy says
This looks absolutely delicious! I am drooling over here and I am not a fan of ice cream, you make it sound so worth trying. Must make this.
Diane (Created by Diane) says
Oh my GOODNESS, this my be the most amazing ice cream EVER!
Ann Bacciaglia says
OMG this looks so yummy. I am going to try this on the weekend for a dessert at my BBQ. I am sure everyone is going to love it.
Toni Dash says
Perfect for a barbecue Ann!
Kate K (My Mommy Brain) says
Mmmm that looks amazing. My girls and I love making home made ice cream!
Stefanie says
I bet this is amazing – it sure looks good! Love grilled peaches.
Natalie Z says
Oh my this looks delicious! We bought a ton of peaches for 89 cents/pound so this will be a wonderful way to enjoy them!
Chris Scheuer says
Fabulous Toni, what an amazing combination! I just made a fresh cherry ice cream. There’s nothing like homemade!
Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly says
This looks like a delish summer treat! Yummo! 🙂
melisasource says
Oh my this looks and sounds so yummy! I’m going to make this treat at home – I know my family will love it!
Laura Dembowski says
I very rarely find clings tone peaches, but I’ll take peaches any way I can get them, especially in this ice cream!
Toni Dash says
Funny ALL I’ve found so far this summer are clingstone! It makes it hard to cut them easily and for them to look pretty! But they still taste great.