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Yields:
1 qt.
Prep Time:
5 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 15 mins
Good summer peaches are hard to come by. Some years' crops are just not as juicy, fragrant, or sweet. When you do chance upon magically delicious peaches, this is the best way to capture their flavor and freeze it in time.
What can you do with frozen peaches? Pretty much anything you would do with fresh peaches! Take them out from the freezer two hours beforehand and let them defrost a bit before baking them into peach cobblers or a raspberry peach upside-down cake, turning them into jams, or blending them into a frozen peach bellini or an amazing smoothie. (Or, if you'd like your smoothie to be a little on the thicker side, you can also blend with frozen peaches—just make sure to use a high-powered blender to ensure a creamy texture!)
I also like to use frozen fruits as ice cubes in summer drinks without watering down the beverage itself. Frozen peaches would be perfect for chilling down fruit punches, sangrias, lemonades. Once they've defrosted in your drink, you can eat 'em as a bonus snack!
There are two options here: skin on or skin off. If you like to keep a little extra fiber in the fruit, keep it simple and leave the skin on. Skin-on frozen peaches are perfect for use in smoothies or as ice cubes: they keep more of their vibrant dark fuchsia color that way. If you prefer your peaches to be smooth and soft throughout, a quick blanching process will help you slip the skin off easily. Both options are available below!
A few tips on storage: The best way to freeze peaches is in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once completely frozen, transfer to a resealable plastic bag to save space in your freezer. Squeeze out all the air from the bag to minimize ice crystal formation and freezer burn. It's best to use your frozen peaches within 3 months: Sure, it can keep forever in terms of spoilage, but flavor is often compromised over time in the freezer.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb.
ripe peaches, washed (about 4 medium)
- 1 tsp.
lemon juice
Directions
For skin-on frozen peaches
- Step 1Cut each peach into 8 slices. In a large bowl, toss peaches with lemon juice.
- Step 2Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then lay peach slices in a single layer, making sure they are not touching each other. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
- Step 3Transfer frozen peaches into a resealable plastic bag, pushing as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing it. Keep frozen until ready to use.
For peeled frozen peaches
- Step 1Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Using a paring knife, cut a shallow "x" into the top of each peach.
- Step 2Add scored peaches to pot and blanch for 20 to 30 seconds. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer peaches to ice bath to stop the cooking process.
- Step 3Gently peel skin off peaches and cut each peach into 8 slices. In a medium bowl, toss wedges with lemon juice.
- Step 4Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then lay peach slices in a single layer, making sure they are not touching each other. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
- Step 5Transfer frozen peaches into a resealable plastic bag, pushing as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing it. Keep frozen until ready to use.
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