The classic Creamsicle, frozen vanilla ice cream on a stick, covered in an orange sherbet, was my inspiration for this frozen treat.
I chose to use peaches, since we are in peak peach season, and I have a tray overflowing with perfectly ripe peaches. The creamy center is made with thick sweet buttermilk in place of the vanilla ice cream for that special southern touch.
When you’re choosing the peaches, select medium to large fruit that have a smooth surface (no wrinkles). If you press along the seam, a peach should yield slightly to the pressure, even if the rest of the peach is firm (stay away from peaches that are as hard as baseballs).
Unless you’re picking them ripe off the tree, chances are they will need some time to ripen fully. Store stem side down in a single layer on the counter (not in the refrigerator).
The best way to tell when a peach is ripe, is to do what all Italians do, (at least my relatives) and that is to smell the stem end. If it smells like a peach … it’s ready to eat.
The easiest way to peel this sweet, juicy summer fruit is to submerge them in a pot of boiling water for a mere 12-15 seconds. Remove them carefully and immediately place in ice water (to stop the cooking process). Using a sharp pairing knife, the peels will come off with ease.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound fresh peaches
- 1/4 cup plus 2-Tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
- Peel, pit and slice the peaches.
- In a small saucepan, combine the peaches, sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice, bring to a boil then simmer 5-6 minutes. Let cool.
- Transfer the peaches to a food processor, pulse to a course puree. Add the orange juice and water, puree until smooth.
- Pour into molds, filling only one-third of each Popsicle. Freeze for an hour. Mixture should be firm but not solid. (Refrigerate the remaining peach mixture).
- To make the cream part of the Popsicle, combine the buttermilk, sugar and 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice, whisk until sugar is dissolved.
- Remove Popsicles from freezer, (after they’ve set up) fill the next third with the buttermilk mixture, return to freezer for another hour.
- In this last step, top off the Creamsicles with the peach puree, insert sticks and freeze until completely frozen (about 4 hours).
- To remove the Creamsicles, dip the molds in hot water for just a few seconds, consume immediately with child-like abandon!
