Sunday, November 2, 2008

Pumpkin Ice Cream

Some friends are stopping by for my husband's fantastic pizza - deep dish tonight. Thinking about a dessert that will be fun - and tasty on this unseasonally warm fall day - and ice cream it is. The pumpkin is for the fall - and the amaretti cookies to tie it to the italian tastes of the evening.

Pumpkin Ice Cream with Amaretti Cookies
1 cup (8 oz) pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups (16 oz) heavy cream
3/4 cup (6 oz) dark brown sugar
5 egg yolks
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 Tbsp bourbon
Amaretti cookies


1. whisk pumpkin and vanilla together. Cover and chill for 3-8 hours. Go to step 2 after pumkin is at least 3 hours cold.
2. Scald Cream: In a heavy saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cup (12 fl oz) of the cream and 1/2 cup (4 oz) of brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks, spices and salt, remaining (4 fk. oz) cream and remaining (2 oz) sugar in a bowl. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth.
4. Temper egg mixture and cook custard: Remove cream from heat. Slowly dribble about 1/2 cup (1 laddle) of hot cream into the egg mixture - constantly whisking - until smooth. Pour egg mixture into the cream mixture and cook over medium low heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook until 160-170 degrees - coats the back of the wooden spoon and your finger leaves a clear trail. This will take about 4-6 minutes of cooking. Do not let the custard boil. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
5. Cool down custard to room temperature by placing bowl into ice bath and stirring occasionally. Whisk in pumpkin mixture. Cover with plastic wrap - directly on top of custard to avoid a skin forming. Refrigerate until well chilled - at least 3 hours or up to 24.
6. Pour custard into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to directions. Stir in bourbon during the last minute of churning (any earlier will lower freezing point and slow down the freezing process). Transfer ice cream to freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days, before serving.

Serve with amaretti cookies.

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