How to Freeze Peaches

Gone July and August and gone is the peach season when people relish the fresh and juicy fruit. July and August are the two months when the local markets sell real fresh peaches. Once they don't have any available, we have to rely on supermarkets to stock them.

But the ones available at the supermarkets are not as fresh and delicious as the real fresh ones, they are rather tasteless and you'd constantly have to tell yourself while eating the peaches from the supermarket that 'I know they don't taste like peaches at all but, hey look they sure look like 'em'.

I'm sure none of us want to do that but, many a time, either because of time constraints we don't get to go visit the local markets to fetch some fresh peaches, or either because of the obvious reason of non-availability. So, is there a way to preserve the juicy peaches that you luckily got to pick up from the local market?

Is it possible that you could use these amazingly flavored fruits in your favorite pie, peach cobbler recipe, peach crisp recipe and other desserts to give the original flavor of peach to the dish? You can make these yummy recipes by preserving peaches, which increases their shelf-life.

Follow the steps mentioned below and you will realize that frozen peaches tastes as good as the fresh ones.

Step 1: Pick ripe peaches that are neither too mushy and nor too tough or unripe. If the peaches are too tough then; although the frozen peaches will be tender and soft, it will not have any taste or flavor. You can use about 5 big peaches to make a quart of frozen peaches. Wash them and keep it aside.

Step 2: The next step is to prepare the sugar solution (you can also use artificial sweeteners such as splenda as an alternative). Covering or adding peaches to the sugar solution/ syrup prevents oxidation/ browning of the fruit and also prevents the fruit from drying. 2 cups of light white sugar plus 6 cups of water will make 7 cups of sugar syrup.

To prepare this syrup, heat the pot filled with water on a stove and slowly add sugar to it. Allow the sugar to infuse with water and remove it from fire once it is dissolved well.

Step 3: Let the sugar syrup cool and get back to peaches. Next comes peeling the skin of the fruit. An easy way to do this is to drop the peaches in a pot of boiling water for 30 to 40 seconds and then put them in a pot of ice-cold water for a few minutes. This allows the skin to come off easily.

Step 4: Now cut the peaches into slices or the way you prefer. At this stage, you can add 1/4 cup of lemon juice to prevent the peaches from darkening when exposed to air. Stir them well.

Step 5: Add the peaches into the sugar syrup and mix them well together.

Step 6: To store them in the freezer, use freezer bags. Spoon out the mixture from the bowl and put into these bags and ensure that the bags don't contain any air. The packets are ready to be placed in the freezer.

Those who don't want to consume sugar and don't wish to add any sweeteners can substitute sugar with fruit juice or if you don't want any extra sweetness then you simply can toss the slices of peaches in a mixture of half a teaspoon of ascorbic acid and 3 teaspoons of water and there you have your answer to how to freeze peaches without sugar.

The aforementioned technique to preserve peaches is not only applicable to peaches but, they can also be used to preserve fruits such as nectarines, plums, figs and cherries.