My fuss free nectarine no-churn ice cream recipe with fresh nectarines, heavy cream, sour cream and lightly sweetened with dark brown sugar.

Hello and welcome to July….in New England, we affectionately refer to the this month’s weather as the “hotter than hell’s front porch.”

But come the deepest, darkest hour in January we will look back to this day, the day where my frizzy hair attempted to impersonate an electrocuted squirrel. I’ll say “gee, I wish it were July” when I could throw my children outside without shoes, mittens, 100 layers of clothing and not look like the kid from A Christmas Story. Yes. Embrace the heat, the humidity…be one with the shvitz.

Do you also know what season it is…other than blistering sun season? It’s nectarine season. Yes. nectarines….not peaches….were you waiting for me to start gushing about peaches? You will find 100 peach recipes on the internet….but not many about nectarines. Nectarines are peach’s cuter, smarter, sassier sister. Their texture is perfect, their taste is sweet and robust and deep. Nectarines are the stone fruit you need to bake with this summer.

So I went ahead and made ice cream out of them.

No churn ice cream.

Without sweetened condensed milk.

Without eggs.

With low sugar.

Yes.

Oh yes.

Oh please and thank you and let’s be best friends!!

Ok.

If you insist.

Fruit ice cream is glamorous and elegant. It warrants slow, small bites that savor its soft, floral notes. Stone fruit ice cream, specifically nectarine, is my favorite because it’s unique. I specifically created a no-churn recipe for all of us who do not want to slave and fret over a custard base cooking on the stove on what is already a hot day. True, making ice cream via the conventional method (with an ice cream maker) is gosh darn delicious. I own an ice cream maker. I rarely use it because who has the foresight (or the extra freezer space) to remember to freeze the bowl? I don’t. I also dislike sweetened condensed milk, the primary ingredient in no churn ice cream. This recipe makes the fastest, easiest, eggless, creamiest ice cream. My nectarine no churn ice cream is luscious. Yes, I think the best word is luscious. It’s smooth and silky and is lightly sweetened with warm notes of dark brown sugar, balanced with a slight tang from the sour cream and a tiny twist of lime juice. Nectarine no churn ice cream tastes like the epitome of summer; the perfect treat after a long sweltering day outside, or as a palate cleanser after a summer potluck. I use the ripest, fragrant nectarines I can find because they yield a delicate, floral flavor.

I highly recommend serving nectarine no churn ice cream with a faint drizzle of local, runny honey, a few flecks of flaky salt. The honey plays with the floral components of the nectarine. The flaky salt….my personal favorite ice cream topping, enhances every flavor profile within the ice cream while pivoting the sweetness with a hit of salty brine. As an optional serving suggestion, I included bee pollen….that’s a head scratcher for many….which has a floral, earthy flavor. For me, they are nature’s sprinkles! (If you don’t harvest your own honey from the bees you’ve raised from birth and put through graduate school….don’t worry…..store bought is just fine.)

I deeply and waggingly suggest you double, triple this recipe. It makes a petite amount….maybe 4 nice size servings….of ice cream….and you may lick the container at the end to get every luscious drop….I know I do.

A little update for this recipe! Please read!

I have added a ice cream maker friendly method to this recipe if you would like! I do admit its a little less work than the no churn method but the final result is equally delicious!

Print Recipe

Nectarine No-Churn Ice Cream

My fuss free nectarine no-churn ice cream recipe with fresh nectarines, heavy cream, sour cream and lightly sweetened with dark brown sugar.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fruit, ice cream, nectarine, no bake, stone fruit

Author: wildheartkitchen

Ingredients

• 4 large very ripe nectarines see notes
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 very small pinch kosher salt
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

To serve:

• Local honey drizzled
• Flaky Salt
• Bee Pollen optional

Instructions

For the no-churn method:

• Line a 9×13 high sided jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Peel the nectarines over a medium bowl (to catch all that delicious juice) and cut them into large wedges. Discard the peel (or eat it – yum!)
• In a 5 cup food processor, blend the nectarines, lime juice, dark brown sugar, sour cream and pinch of kosher salt and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
• In another large bowl, add the heavy cream. Using a hand mixer, slowly begin to beat the heavy cream. Gradually increase the speed and whip the cream into stiff peaks.
• Using a spatula,  carefully fold half of the whipped cream into the nectarine puree. Add the remainder of the whipped cream and repeat.
• Pour the nectarine cream into the 9×13 jelly roll. Smooth it out but do not flatten. Carefully place in the freezer for 8 hours.
• Remove the jelly roll pan from the freezer and let it stand on the counter for 5 minutes. Peel the nectarine cream off the parchment paper and break into small pieces and place half into the food processor. You will need to work in batches.
• Turn the food processor on and process until the frozen nectarine cream churns into a thick soft-serve consistency. You will need to stop to tamp down or stir the ice cream with a spoon every so often. This may take a few minutes, be patient.
• Spoon the ice cream into a 9×5 loaf pan.
• Repeat with the second half of the frozen nectarine cream.
• Pour the nectarine ice cream into a 9×5 loaf pan or ice cream container, cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours or until the ice cream has completely hardened.
• Remove the ice cream from the freezer about 5-10 minutes before serving to slightly soften.
• To serve, top with a small drizzle of honey, a touch of flaky salt, and (optional) bee pollen.

With an ice cream maker:

• Peel the nectarines over a medium bowl (to catch all that delicious juice) and cut them into large wedges. Discard the peel (or eat it – yum!)
• Blend the nectarines, lime juice, dark brown sugar, sour cream, heavy whipping cream, and pinch of kosher salt and blend until completely smooth. Place in the fridge and chill for 1 hour.
• Place the mixture into the bowl of your ice cream churner and churn on low until you have the consistency of ice cream. For me this takes 15 minutes but yours may take 20 depending on your ice cream maker.
• Transfer the ice cream to a freezer friendly container and freeze until the urge for ice cream strikes.

Notes

Nectarines: Use the ripest, softest, fragrant nectarines you can find. The kind that, when you peel them, your hands get drenched in juice and the skin feels thin and flimsy. This will guarantee you incredible ice cream.

 

A note on home made ice cream: Remove your ice cream from the freezer a few minutes sooner than store bought ice cream to thaw a little before scooping. Store bought ice creams often have oils and extra additives to make their ice cream easier to scoop.