Pumpkins are EVERYWHERE! It is just starting to cool down in L.A. and the flavors of fall are creeping into my home. Meals like Shepherds Pie, Claire’s Brisket, Butternut Squash Soup, Lasagna, and Chili are cooking in my kitchen. Making pumpkin soup is a weekly request. With left over pumpkin puree I am always finding ways of using up the left over puree.
The usual suspects; pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin doughnuts, and now pumpkin ice cream. Having a few egg yolks in the fridge always ingnites my desire to make ice cream. I have to admit, I have become a little bored with our old favorites (butterscotch pecan, coffee cookie dough, sweet cream). Don’t get me wrong, they are good, better than good. But I wanted a new flavor and with this being fall, all I can think about is pumpkin. So glad I did. While the custard was cooking on the stove, it smelled just like fall. The smells of cinnamon and nutmeg infused my house.
It was so overwhelming that I couldnt help myself, I did stick my finger in the warm custard, before putting it into the ice cream machine. I was tempted to drink it. Really tempted. But didn’t.
I make quite a bit of ice cream and once the ice cream is made and put in the freezer safe container, it gets really, really frozen. Thus, scooping it becomes a workout. I decided to treat my ice cream like I do my cookie doughs.
After it froze for about and hour and a half, using a 2 tablespoon ice cream scooper, I created little scoops and froze them on a parchement lined cookie sheet. Brilliant. In doing so, I was able to create so many wonderful treats. So many that I will be sharing them throughout the remainder of October.
One of those ideas was Bon Bons. The idea came to me as I scooping the little balls onto the parchment lined baking sheets. Who doesn’t like a bon bon? I love the idea of a soft, creamy ice cream incrusted in a crispy, hard outer shell. Really good bittersweet chocolate, tempered, and drizzled over pumpkin ice cream. Heaven. I found that there truly is nothing better than chocolate + pumpkin. Such a great combo.
My ice cream maker and this recipe makes one quart of ice cream. Having individual ice cream balls on hand felt like I had way more than a quart of ice cream in my freezer. With so many on hand, I was able to deliver bon bons to a few of those that I adore.
Boozy Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Recipe from here
yield: 1 quart or 36 2″ balls of ice cream
Ingredients:
12 ounces | 375 ml | 1 1/2 cups whole, organic milk
8 ounces | 250 ml | 1 cup organic, heavy cream
3 3/8 ounces | 95 grams | 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
5 large egg yolks
2 ounces | 60 grams | 1/4 cup muscovado sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Markers Mark Bourbon
6 1/2 ounces | 180 grams | 3/4 cup organic, canned pumpkin puree
Instructions:
• in a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and set aside.
• in a heavy duty saucepan, mix milk, cream, maple sugar, ground cinnamon, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, and salt.
• warm the mixture until warm and little bubbles form around the edge of the pan.
• in 1/4 cup batches, ladle half of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks. whisking the whole time, after each addition of milk to avoid “cooking the egg yolks”. pour egg/milk mixture back into original saucepan(with half of the milk mixture that was not combined with the eggs) and cook over low heat.
• using a heat proof spatula, constantly stir custard mixture until it coats the back of a spatula (if you run your finger over the back of the spatula and a solid line remains from your finger, it’s ready) or until an instant-read thermometer reads 160- 170 degrees.
• place a glass bowl inside a larger glass bowl filled with ice (you are creating an ice bath). place a strainer over the smaller glass bowl.
• pour custard mixture through the strainer. remove strainer and mix in the muscovado sugar. stir completely and let mixture cool.
• remove bowl from water bath and cover with plastic wrap. chill in fridge overnight.
• whisk in vanilla and bourbon (optional). place strainer over bowl of custard and press pumpkin puree throught the strainer. mix thoroughly.
• freeze custard in your ice cream maker (about 30 minutes), according the manufactureres instructions.
• place ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze for at least 3 – 4 hours before eating.
note: after 1 1/2 hours, I scooped my ice cream into 1 1/2″ balls and froze on a rimmed baking sheet. when completely frozen I stored in a freezer safe container.
Susan Salzman writes The Urban Baker blog to explore her dedication to good food in the hope of adding beauty to the lives of her family and friends.