Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

(and you don't need an Ice Cream Machine to make it!)

Back in August I was in the market for an Ice Cream maker.  You don't see Peach Ice Cream in the shops here in London, well at least I haven't.  And it was always a favorite of mine growing up so I got the idea to make some Homemade Peach Ice Cream.  I got side tracked with plans for my Daughter's Birthday party and never bought the machine or made the Ice Cream.  Then last week Mary Berry did a special on homemade ice cream in her Great British Food Revival series and I discovered that you don't need an Ice Cream Maker to make Ice Cream.  Something I never thought about.  So I decided to give it a go now.

I do love Peach Ice Cream, but it's October and would seem a shame not to do something more true to the season so I've made Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream instead.  And it was a hit with everyone in my family.  I hope you enjoy it too :)

Ingredients:

113g (4oz) Fresh pumpkin puree or canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
170g (6 oz) heavy cream + 57g (2oz) heavy cream
57g (2oz) firmly packed dark brown sugar
28g (1oz) caster sugar
5 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp.whisky

Directions:

I made my pumpkin puree, but I've used the tin pumpkin for other recipes and it is just as good. You can find tin pumpkin online and I have also seen it in store in Waitrose.

If you are making your own pumpkin puree make sure you choose an edible pumpkin.Preheat oven to 200C / 400F/ Gas Mark 6. I used one medium pumpkin removed the stem and cut into quarters lengthwise. Bake cut side down, in a shallow dish with a little water in the bottom for 1 hour. Let cool, scrape out the seeds, cut the flesh from the peels, and force it through a mesh sieve.

In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours.

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine 170g of the cream and 57g brown sugar. Cook until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the egg yolks, caster sugar,cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg and 57g heavy cream. Whisk until smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve.

Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and keeping the custard at a low simmer, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, 4 to 6 minutes. Do not allow the custard to boil. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.

Place the bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice water, stirring occasionally until cool.

Whisk the pumpkin mixture into the custard. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

From here if you have an Ice Cream Maker you can transfer your mixture to the maker and follow the instructions. Add the whisky in the last minute of churning. Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze at least 3 hours before serving.

If, like me, you don't have an ice cream maker. Put your mixture in a freezer safe container and freeze for 30 minutes. Remove from the freezer after 30 minutes and with an electric beater beat the mixture until smooth making sure to break up any ice crystals that may have forned. Repeat every 30 minutes for 3 hours. Then allow the mixture to freeze until firm before serving, approx 3 additional hours.