Pumpkin Custard Ice Cream

By Foodiewife

A custard-based ice cream is now my preferred way to enjoy this frozen dessert. It's not that difficult to make the custard, but it's so worth the effort. This recipe is perfect year-round, but I also think it's a great alternative to traditional pumpkin pie for the holidays. I plan to make a gingerbread crust and to turn this into an ice cream pie or cake. It's rich, and so good!

To see a tutorial on how to make this, please visit my food blog at:
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-perfect-scoop-of-pumpkin-pie-custard.html

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup canned solid-pack unsweetened pumpkin
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

Combine cream, milk, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is hot but not boiling, about 6 minutes.

Whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk 1 cup of the warm cream mixture into the bowl with the eggs.

Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Do not boil.

Strain the custard into another bowl and cover it partially with plastic wrap. Cool at least one hour at room temperature.

Combine pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves (or use 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice) and salt in a medium bowl and blend well. Add to the cooled custard and mix so that all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Refrigerate, covered completely, in the coldest part of your refrigerator until the mixture is very cold, about six hours.

Stir the cold pumpkin mixture, then pour into the mixing bowl of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to ice cream maker manufacturer's directions.

Put pumpkin ice cream in a container with a tight cover. Freeze at least three hours before serving.