Frozen peaches can look less than appetizing if they have turned brown. To preserve their golden color even after peaches are frozen, use vitamin C as a preservative. Peeling a peach exposes it to the air and activates enzymes that darken the fruit. Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, neutralizes these enzymes and boosts the nutrient value of the frozen fruit.
Prepare Peaches and Soaking Solution
Step 1
Crush six vitamin C tablets using the mortar and pestle until they are powder. In the stock pot, dissolve the powdered vitamin C in 1 gallon of water to create the soaking solution. Set this solution aside.
Step 2
Wash the peaches in cool running water. Select peaches that are ripe but still firm and free of bruises. Do not use soap, but rub the fruit gently to remove dirt and pesticide spray.
Step 3
Boil water in the stock pot and add the peaches. Remove the fruit after 30 seconds to 1 minute using a slotted spoon. Place the peaches into a sink filled with cold water for 20 seconds, or until they are cool enough to hold.
Step 4
Slip the skin off one cooled peach using a paring knife. Slice the peach in half and remove the pit. Slice it into quarters if you prefer smaller pieces.
Step 5
Place the peach slices into the vitamin C soaking solution as soon as possible to minimize the amount of enzyme browning. Peel, slice and soak one peach at a time until they are all in the soaking solution. Leave the slices to soak for 15 minutes or until you are finished preparing the syrup.
Prepare Syrup and Freeze Peaches
Step 1
Mix 4 cups of cool water with 3 cups of sugar to make 1 quart of syrup. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Step 2
Grind three tablets, or 1,500 mg, of vitamin C into powder and add to the syrup. Stir until the vitamin C dissolves. Don't worry if the syrup appears cloudy; this is because of harmless binders in the vitamin C tablet.
Step 3
Pour 1/2 cup of the syrup into the plastic freezer container. Remove peach slices from the vitamin C soaking solution and place them in the container until it is almost full.
Step 4
Push the fruit down and add enough syrup to cover the fruit, leaving 1/2 inch of head space. The syrup will expand as it freezes. Continue filling containers until all your fruit is packed up.
Step 5
Seal the containers and label them with the date. Place the containers standing up in the freezer so that the peaches stay covered until the syrup has frozen.
Tips and Warnings
- One tsp. of ascorbic acid is equal to 3,000 mg of vitamin C. It is possible to freeze peaches without any sugar, according to Colorado State University. To do this, add the powdered vitamin C to water and omit the sugar from Section 2, Step 1.
Things You'll Need
- 6 peaches
- 9 500 mg unflavored vitamin C tablets
- 3 cups sugar
- Mortar and pestle
- 2 1-gallon stock pots
- Slotted spoon
- Paring knife
- Measuring cups
- 3 1-pint plastic freezer containers
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