Spiced Pumpkin Ice Cream with Candied Ginger
After making a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving last week, I was left with half a can of pumpkin puree. Not wanting to throw it out, I stuck it in the refrigerator figuring I would give it to the chickens.
Then I had a thought. I remembered having had pumpkin ice cream years ago and thought ... hmm, maybe I should try making some.
I looked through my cookbooks and, sure enough, I found a pumpkin ice cream recipe in Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer (Artisan, 2011)
Her recipe called for roasting a fresh pumpkin and making homemade puree (okay, I would be using canned instead I'm not quite that ambitious!).
I didn't have one of the ingredients (the light corn syrup) and another ingredient the recipe called for had expired seven years ago (I mean who uses Chinese five spice powder on a regular basis?), but I easily figured out some substitutions and decided to give it a whirl!
The resulting ice cream was so good - rich and creamy, a nice pale orange color with a subtle pumpkin spice flavor - and it perfectly complemented the spiced pumpkin cheesecake I made for our Thanksgiving dessert.
This recipe has gained a place in my keeper recipe file. Sorry chickens .... better luck next time!
Spiced Pumpkin Ice Cream with Candied Ginger
Spiced Pumpkin Ice Cream with Candied Ginger
ingredients:
- 3/4 Cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade) NOT pumpkin pie filling
- 3 Tablespoons cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/4 Cup honey
- 1/4 teaspoon pink sea salt
- 2 Cups milk (I used 2%, but you can use whole milk if you wish)
- 1-1/4 Cups heavy cream
- 2/3 Cup light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (mixture of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg)
- 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch whisked into 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 Cup crystallized candied ginger
- Ice Cream Maker
instructions:
How to cook Spiced Pumpkin Ice Cream with Candied Ginger
- Whisk the pumpkin puree, cream cheese and honey in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in the salt and set aside.
- Combine milk, heavy cream, sugars and spices in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 4 minutes, whisking constantly, then slowly whisk in cornstarch mixture. Bring back to a boil and cook for another minute, whisking until slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat and slowly whisk the milk mixture into the pumpkin mixture until smooth.
- Pour into a gallon freezer bag and submerge in a large bowl full of ice water until cold, about 30 minutes.
- When chilled, stir in the candied ginger and pour into your ice cream maker. Follow instructions for your model.
- When the ice cream is thick and creamy, transfer to a freezer container with a spatula and freeze for at least four hours or until firm.
