Vanilla-Peach Cheesecake Ice Cream

Summer is HERE and the peaches have arrived here in the south…but if you have a hard time finding fresh peaches in your neck of the woods, don’t worry because this recipe calls for fresh OR frozen peaches and either way it will turn out perfect every time!  If you don’t have an ice cream freezer, you don’t need to cry about that either…just pour the mixture into a metal pan and pop it into your freezer!  You will be eating homemade ice cream in a few hours!

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VANILLA-PEACH CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM

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2 cups diced fresh peaches OR 1 20-ounce pkg frozen peaches, diced into bits (it is easier to dice them when they are still slightly frozen)

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

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1 pkg (8 ounces) softened cream cheese

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1/2 cup peach juice (drained from the juices of your marinated peaches)

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup milk

1 Mexican Vanilla bean pod, sliced lengthwise and scraped of all tiny little beans (the exterior pod can be saved and put into a covered container of sugar to make your own vanilla flavored sugar for your coffee or tea!)  I sell the BEST Mexican Vanilla in my on-line BOUTIQUE

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In a medium-sized bowl, combine your diced peaches, 3/4 cup sugar, lemon juice and salt.  Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours.  Once they are chilled, drain them and reserve the juice that is produced…you will need 1/2 cup of it later for the ice cream mixture!!!

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In a large mixing bowl on medium-high speed whip the cream cheese and 1 cup sugar until well combined.  Add the eggs, one egg at a time, until combined.  Slowly mix in your reserved peach juice until combined.  Blend in the whipping cream and milk.  Stir in the vanilla bean seeds last, making sure they do not stick to the edge of your knife or the edge of your mixing bowl…you want every last one of these flavorful seeds to end up in your ice cream mixture!!!!  Do NOT add your peaches to this mixture.

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Pour the cream mixture into your ice cream freezer and freeze according to the instructions on your machine.  If you do not have a machine, you can pour everything into a large metal pan and place it into your freezer.  Stir the mixture occasionally with a large spoon until it is nicely frozen.  When it is almost done, THEN add your chilled and drained diced peaches to the mixture and stir.  Place the pan back into the freezer and freeze until it is to your desired consistency.  If you are using an ice cream machine, add the peaches during the last 5-10 minutes of freezing.

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BONE APPETIT!