OK, it’s official now, it’s summer and that can only mean one thing, it’s time to make ice cream. Actually I am of the belief that the single most important reason for having summer is to enjoy ice cream.

Most of the year I buy ice cream at the grocery store, but nothing, absoulutely nothing beats the taste of homemade ice cream. And the best thing about this dish is that you can change the flavor so easily.

Keeping in mind the recent food festivals that the downtown market has been having I thought it would be appropriate to use some of those celebrated ingredients in making some our summer delicacy.

Homemade Peach Ice Cream

6 cups mashed peeled peaches

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups heavy cream

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Process the peaches in a food processor until almost pureed. Or you can do them in small batches in a blender. Combine the peaches, lemon juice, sugar and salt in a bowl and mix well. Add the cream, condensed milk, almond extract and vanilla and mix well.

Pour into a one-gallon ice cream freezer container. Freeze according to your machines directions.

Fresh Fig Ice Cream

8 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 quart milk

1 quart cream or half-and-half

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 quart peeled fresh figs

Beat the eggs in a blender or food processor until thick and lemon colored. Blend in the sugar. Combine with the milk and cram in a large double boiler and cook over simmering water until the custard is thick, stirring all the while it is cooking. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and salt, and fold in the quart of slightly mashed figs. Pour into a one-gallon ice cream freezer container. Freeze according to machines directions.

And if fresh fruit ice cream isn’t what you’re looking for try this next recipe for Butterfinger ice cream, that I received from a friend. After all, can you think of a better way to keep your candy from melting in the summer heat?

Butterfinger Ice Cream

6 Butterfinger candy bars (crushed)

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

6 ounces of Cool Whip

1 gallon of chocolate milk

Mix candy bars, condensed milk and Cool Whip and pour in ice cream freezer. Add chocolate milk until you reach the fill line on the freezer. This makes one gallon. Takes about 20 minutes to freeze.

Christina Hall is food editor of The Democrat. She can be reached at (601) 442-9101 or by e-mail at christina.hall@natchezdemocrat.com.