Make your own homemade 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

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 (or mixture of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg)

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch whisked into 2 Tablespoons milk

1/2 Cup crystallized candied ginger

This recipe uses an Ice Cream Maker (I have this ice cream maker and LOVE it!)

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.

(adapted from Roasted Pumpkin 5-Spice Ice Cream, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer, Artisan, 2011)

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