Out of the sunny climes of our best agricultural regions come the last of the season’s sunset blush of apricots. I know I wax poetic about apricots every year. They are my favorite fruit, so I can’t help myself. And when it comes to dreaming up pastries and desserts, I tend to want them to be centered on the pure taste and sensation of apricot loveliness in full measure. Apricot Ice Cream surely rises to the occasion.
This ice cream comes from a treasure trove of trusted recipes found in The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz. It has a big bite of pure apricot pleasure complete with the full bore experience of tartness we come to expect from this pucker worthy fruit. It’s rich and luxurious without being too heavy. Perfect for a summer afternoon.
Apricot season always arrives in a short burst. If you want to get in on the bounty before another year passes, time to rush to your ice cream machine and dive in.
Bench notes:
- For the best flavor, choose apricots that are soft and very ripe.
- Strain the apricot puree if you want to remove any trace of fiber.
- Be extra careful when adding almond extract to the mix. A little bit goes a long way.
Apricot Ice Cream
adapted from The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments by David Lebovitz
1 lb fresh ripe apricots
1/2 C water
1/2 C sugar
1 C heavy cream
3 drops almond extract
lemon juice, to taste
Cut the apricots into sixths and place them in a saucepan with the water. Cover and cook them over medium low heat until tender, stirring to prevent scorching. Remove from heat, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
Place the mixture in a food processor and puree until smooth. Whisk in the cream, almond extract and lemon juice, to taste. Chill thoroughly.
Process in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Pour into a clean container. Press a piece of plastic into the surface, cover and place in your freezer to firm up.
17 comments:
Don't get me wrong. I love New York. It's a great state. We have the ocean, the mountains, and, of course, New York City. We can swim in the summer, and ski in the winter; go to the Opera, the Ballet, Shakespeare in the Park, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We have the best public transportation system in the States. And we have Central Park. But....
I LOVE apricots too. I saw some today that said "Local Upstate New York Apricots." Every single time I have tried them, they have been mealy and awful so I didn't fall for them.
Next year I am going to spend a two-week vacation in California in a place with a kitchen so I can cook and eat all the things I love that I can't get here.
And it will start with apricots. This looks absolutely wonderful. My mouth is positively watering. I am green with envy.
Victoria, there is nothing like NYC. But it is true that the produce and the whole food culture here is just fantastic. I do hope you get to spend some time here cooking and tasting. And I hope you happen to choose the right 2 weeks full of terrific fruits and vegetables! Let me know when and where you land!
This looks so light and refreshing. I wish I had an ice cream maker! Any tips for making ice cream without one so that it doesn't freeze into a solid block?
I like New York and proud to be one... even in abroad. And where I am now, it is the season of the apricots! And this recipe of yours comes just in place.
Heather, here are some good instructions on how to make ice cream without a machine:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2007/07/making-ice-crea-1/
Hope this helps!!
Thanks, I will check that out and see if I can get it to turn out better!
I have GOT to break down and buy an ice cream maker...I feel like I must since your recipe looks SO delicious. I love apricots, and would love them combined with the lovely cream flavor. YUM!
We must be thinking on the same wavelength! I got four pounds of NY apricots from my CSA last week and the first thing I thought was -ice cream!-. A quick flip through A Perfect Scoop and I was on my way to making apricot ice cream. It turned out soooooo good! Yum. Hoping for another three pounds of apricots this week.
More apricots...Oh, you lucky duck! We're heading into the end of a very late season here.
Excellent article many thanks. Do you think fresh cream or ice cream would be best to compliment?
Last summer I accidentally let a bunch of apricots get overly ripe, so in a last ditch effort to salvage them, I pureed them and froze them.
Well today I discovered your recipe, and I just made the ice cream! I let the puree thaw for a couple hours while we had dinner, and then quickly stirred in the sugar, cream and lemon (I didnt have any almond extract, but imagine it would be yummy!). The ice cream firmed up really quickly since the fruit was still quite cold, so this literally took 20 minutes total to make!
My husband and I just enjoyed a bowl, soft serve style, and it was delicious.
Thank you for sharing the recipe, and this summer if you end up with extra apricots, store a little away in your freezer for an easy, tasty delight many months later :)
OK, Kim, I am drooling with envy right now! How absolutely brilliant to tuck away a treasure like this for later enjoyment. YUM. I expect apricot season to arrive here just about any day now, so you can imagine my anticipation. Thank you for sharing your own delight.
Cheers!
A friend hooked me up with some awesome apricots from her yard, so I made pie AND ice cream. Only thing is, the ice cream froze really really solid. Anyone else have this issue?
Hello, Rose - I think Apricot Pie is one of my very favorite things in the world!!
Fruits with lots of water content tend to need a good balance of sugar and cream to smooth them out. This ice cream definitely needs to sit at room temp for several minutes for maximum enjoyment.
You can place the mixture into the freezer and ever 30 minutes for 4 hours, stir the mixture. Hope this helps!!!!!
I managed to get some reduced organic apricots in the supermarket at the weekend (1.2 kilos for £4!) and I made this with some of them. I've never had apricot ice cream before and was really curious about what it would taste like...oh so, so delicious! I love the simplicity of this recipe and the way it really captures that pure apricot flavour. Can't wait for my first helping (at the moment it's still in the freezer but I licked the bowl clean just to check it was OK...!)
Elly, 'tis the season! Can't believe your apricot haul…..sooooo jealous. Looks like you'll be feasting on them for a bit.
Also, since homemade ice cream doesn't contain any commercial emulsifiers, let it sit out for a few minutes to soften before serving. Enjoy!
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