Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

I can't believe I forgot to post this recipe weeks ago!!! Talk about a seasonal ice cream that I wish I could eat all year long... This is my favorite pumpkin ice cream. It's rich and so flavorful- makes me feel warm and cozy even though it's frozen! All the spices just make me want to curl up with a bowl of this and a book... I know pumpkin season is almost over, but this should work well with canned 100% pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling). I really recommend reading all the way through the directions since this recipe has requires a bit of pre-planning and has multiple steps that are important to do in the right order. It's totally worth it though.... =)

Ingredients

1.5 cup heavy cream

1.5 cups 4% regular milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated finely

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

5 large egg yolks

ice and water for an ice bath

3/4 cup pumpkin pulp

1 tbsp molasses

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tsp pumpkin pie or whipped cream vodka (optional, can you use any alcohol)

1/2 cup candied pecans, chopped into big pieces, frozen

1 cup graham cracker pie crust, crumbled and frozen

Directions

1.  In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, milk, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.  Heat this until you start to see small bubbles form around the edges.   As soon as you see the bubbles, remove it from the heat.

2.  While the milk-cream mix is heating, set up an ice bath.  Do this by filling a large bowl with ice and water.  Then place a medium bowl that it at least 2 quarts capacity inside the large bowl.  The purpose of this is to cool the custard in step 5.

3.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks together.  Then, VERY SLOWLY whisk in the hot milk-cream mix.  It is critical that you whisk in small amounts at a time so that you do not cook or scramble the yolks.  I generally pour it in a very slow stream with one hand while whisking with the other.  Do not stop whisking until all the milk-cream mix is incorporated.  This is the custard mix.

4.  Pour the custard mix back into the saucepan and heat on low.   Use a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon to mix it continuously- make sure to scrape the bottom so nothing burns.  Continue to mix until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula/spoon (it sticks to it in a layer instead of running off).

5.  Pour the thickened custard through a mesh strainer into the medium bowl sitting in the ice bath.5.  Mix the pumpkin pulp, molasses, 1 tbsp sugar, vanilla, and vodka into the strained mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

6.  Churn the chilled mix following your ice cream maker directions.   Approximately 5 mins before it is done, add the pecan pieces so that they get mixed in.

7.  In the container you are going to freeze the ice cream in: place ~1/3 of the graham cracker crumbs.  Spoon in half of the ice cream.  Layer with another 1/3 of graham cracker crumbs.  Spoon in the remaining ice cream.  Top with a layer of graham cracked crumbs.  I like doing it this way so that when you scoop it out, you get ribbons of graham cracked crumbs.  My container is an 8 x 8 x 3 inch container, so this works well.   If you have a tall narrow container, just make more alternating layers of the graham cracker crumbs and ice cream mix.