In a deep sided frying pan, mix ½ cup sugar into the water and bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook for one minute. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the peach halves or quarters, cut side down, to the sugar mixture and cook for about 5 minutes. Turn and cook the peaches for another 5 minutes or until the fruit softens and the skins loosen. Remove from the heat and let cool then remove the skins from the peaches.

Blend the peaches and the sugar water in a blender or food processor until smooth and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small frypan over medium high heat. Add the chopped pecans and stir until they’re toasted and the butter begins to golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer the nuts and brown butter to a bowl and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar and cool to room temperature and set aside.

Combine the cream and the milk in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and stir occasionally until the mixture comes to a simmer, about 5 minutes. In a medium size heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and vanilla until the mixture doubles in volume, about 2 minutes. Remove the cream mixture from the heat and whisking constantly, slowly pour ½ cup of the warm cream into the egg and whisk until smooth. Pour the cream and egg mixture into the saucepan with the warm cream and milk mixture and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it becomes a custard like texture that sticks to the back of a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Do not let it boil.

Set up an ice bath in a large bowl and place a smaller bowl inside then pour the custard into the small bowl with the reserved peach mixture. Stir until the mixture cools then remove the bowl from the ice bath, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.

Pour the cold custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to it’s instructions. Add the brown-butter pecans ¼ cup at a time during the last 5 minutes of churning. Spoon the ice cream into a chilled freezer safe container and place plastic wrap or parchment paper directly on the surface so ice crystals don’t form. Cover and freeze at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.