Make these easy-peachy frozen treats for your L.A. stone-fruit summer

Georgia might be known as the Peach State, but California is the largest producer of peaches (and nectarines) in the U.S. And the remarkable number of varieties that shows up to L.A.’s weekly farmers markets is a hallmark of summer here.

With the arrival of August, Los Angeles is heading into peak peach.

My favorite summer reading might be the weekly emails sent by Andy’s Orchard, announcing which stone fruit varieties are in full swing for the next several days, a rotating cast of Diamond Ray and Honey Royale nectarines, Dapple Fire and Ebony Rose plums, and peaches such as Summer Flame 29, Scarlet Halo and Zee Lady. (Any of these might be a new favorite alter-ego name.) And these don’t represent even a quarter of what’s listed in the latest email.

They are all glorious stone fruits and not inexpensive ($7 to $8 a pound). Here’s a description from the email, written by fruit expert David Karp: “Silver Logan at its best is the best white peach, the peer of Snow Queen nectarine; parentage unknown; discovered by Mabel Logan, Cedar Ridge, Calif.; introduced 1965 … . It has milky white skin blushed with crimson, white dense, buttery freestone flesh, a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, and a honey-like aroma.”

A perfectly ripe peach or nectarine or plum is for eating fresh out of hand. But there are only so many one can eat whole (even if it’s a lot). Look for seconds (fruit that doesn’t meet cosmetic standards but is still delicious), which cost less, to use for cooking and baking. Some other local stone fruit purveyors include Regier Family Farms, K & K Ranch, Tenerelli Orchards and Masumoto Family Farm, famous for its Suncrest peaches, the inspiration for Mas Masumoto’s book “Epitaph for a Peach.”

Sure, you could make a pie. But what is summer’s ultimate dessert? That would be ice cream. My sister gave my niece an ice cream maker last Christmas, a pink Cuisinart that she pulls out after dinner to churn milk, cream, sugar and vanilla into her nightly frozen dessert. She’s 8 years old, and she reminded me how easy it is to make ice cream. There are easy no-churn methods too if you don’t have an ice cream maker.

Or you could make a frozen peach or nectarine soufflé, a raspado with jammy plums, or peach and orange blossom honey popsicles. Here are eight easy frozen treat recipes.

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Frozen Peach Soufflé with Raspberry Sauce

Gently cooked peaches and peach liqueur are added to the custard for this frozen peach soufflé, a recipe from former L.A. Times Food editor Russ Parsons. Because it’s a custard base, the result is both rich and subtle: The flavor is “a delicate peaches-and-cream start followed by a haunting aroma of fruit that lingers.”
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Cook time: 55 minutes. Serves 8 to 10.

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Peach and Orange Blossom Honey Pops

These fruity, creamy frozen pops are made with yogurt, milk, condensed milk, honey, peaches and apricot preserves, blended until smooth and poured into popsicle molds. The full-fat strained yogurt gives these a creamy texture but still imparts a refreshing bite that balances the juicy sweetness of stone fruit. Note: Freezing dulls flavors, so it’s OK to be generous with your sweeteners here, or what tasted great in your blender jar might seem dull post-freezer.
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Cook time: 15 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 popsicles, depending on the size of the mold.

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

Nectarine-Cardamom Ice Cream

Nectarines and cardamom are sometimes paired in baked goods, says Parsons, but the effect seems completely different in an ice cream. “The slightly astringent, slightly floral flavor of cardamom perfectly underlines that particular creamy tart note that separates nectarines from peaches.” The ice cream has the clean, vibrant flavor of a sorbet and the luxurious texture of an ice cream. For the best texture, serve within 24 hours of churning.
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Cook time: 15 minutes plus 1 1/2 hours standing and freezing times. Serves 8.

Spiced Plum Ice Cream

Black pepper and allspice with plum is an incredible combination that makes this ice cream “wow.” Use a subtle hand with all accent flavorings. You don’t want the taste to be so pronounced that it’s obvious. The flavor should support that of the fruit. But freezing will have a muting effect, so the base should taste a bit over the top.
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Total time: 10 minutes, plus freezing time. Serves 8.

Coconut Raspado with Jammy Plums

Raspado is a Mexican-style shaved ice traditionally topped with fruity, sweet syrups. To make this raspado at home, start with a base of coconut milk. It takes a few hours of stirring and mixing to ensure that the raspado freezes evenly, but it’s low effort for a high reward, says Paola Briseño-Gonzalez. Scraping the coconut-based ice re-creates the fluffy texture and lightness of shaved ice. You can substitute the plums with another tart stone fruit such as peaches or apricots; their natural pectin creates a jammy compote that begs for a drizzle of condensed milk.
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Cook time: 1 hour plus 4 hours freezing time. Serves 4 to 6.

(Katrina Frederick / For The Times)

Peach Sangria Popsicles

Puréed peaches are mixed with vanilla, rosé wine and just enough sugar to sweeten. Very thin peach slices and fresh raspberries are added to each popsicle mold for a touch of color and added flavor.
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Cook time: 20 minutes. Makes about 15 popsicles.

(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Peach Gelato

This technique skips the ice cream machine. Diced pieces of fruit are frozen, then blended into a purée and folded with mascarpone or crème fraîche. It takes just another 20 to 30 minutes to freeze the resulting mixture, and if it becomes too solid, you just blend it again before serving. Parsons says he learned this method from Sicilian chef Ciccio Sultano, who has a Michelin two-star restaurant in Ragusa and once worked at the now-closed Valentino in Santa Monica. “It couldn’t be easier, but the fresh peach flavor is astonishing,” Parsons said. “The texture should be somewhere between soft-serve ice cream and dense, chewy traditional gelato. Depending on the sweetness of your peaches, you may want to add more sugar.”
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Cook time: 20 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

Peach Frozen Yogurt

Former L.A. Times Test Kitchen director Noelle Carter uses the same technique to make frozen yogurt. Peel and chop peaches, freeze them, then purée the fruit in a food processor until smooth and slushy. Fold the fruit with whipped cream, mascarpone or crème fraîche. Or try Greek yogurt — the lower water content gives the yogurt a rich creaminess that works well in frozen desserts — and it’s not quite so heavy, notes Carter. She adds a touch of almond extract “to round out the complexity of the stone fruit.”
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Cook time: 1 hour. Serves 8 to 10.

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles)