To Macerate Peaches

• 5 ripe peaches, peeled & diced
• ¼ cup sugar + more if needed
• juice of ½ lime

For Custard Base

• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• ½ vanilla bean pod, seeds scraped
• pinch of salt
• 12 egg yolks

For Mix-Ins

• ⅓ cup chopped candied ginger
• macerated peaches according to preference (from above), juices strained

Peel & Macerate Peaches

1. Start a large pot of water to boil
2. With a paring knife, score a shallow "x" through the skin of each peach at the bottom
3. Drop into boiling water and cook about 30 seconds, or until you can see the skin start to peel back form where you scored the peaches
4. Remove from water and peel alway skin. Pit and dice each peach
5. In a medium bowl, mix diced peaches, sugar and lime juice (add more sugar if needed, depending on ripeness of the fruit). Refrigerate and allow to macerate for about 1 hour

Make Custard Base

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add milk, cream, salt and ¾ cup of the sugar, and heat to just below a boil
2. Meanwhile, in a separate small, heatproof bowl, whisk the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and egg yolks
3. Ladle the hot milk mixture, one ladle-at-a-time into the egg yolks, whisking vigorously. You are tempering the yolks so they do not turn to scrambled eggs in the hot liquid. Repeat this process until you have whisked in 4-5 ladles total, and the bowl feels warm to the touch
4. Add back to the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan, and heat over medium, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon, about 2 minutes
5. Remove from heat, place over an ice bath, and stir to cool slightly. Once the steam is no longer rising from the mixture, place in refrigerator (over ice bath) and chill at least 30 minutes, stirring every-so-often

Make Ice Cream

1. Remove vanilla bean from custard base. Add base to an ice cream maker, and process according to manufacturer's directions. When the ice cream starts to thicken in the maker (and is almost the consistency of soft-serve ice cream), add your macerated peaches slowly, straining off the excess liquid before adding them in
2. Add chopped crystalized ginger. Allow ice cream maker to process about 5 minutes longer
3. Transfer ice cream to a container, cover and freeze at least 4 hours before scooping and serving