None of this Pumpkin Pie Spice crap here! Every fall, we as a society are besieged by a glut of “pumpkin pie spice” flavored things. Lattes, doughnuts, pancakes, Keurig cups, and Cheerios, nothing is safe from being “pumpkin pie spice”ified.
But I am continually disappointed in this slew of confections. Not because they taste bad, exactly, but because they throw the word “pumpkin spice” in there to tease me, hiding the fact that almost all these items will be completely devoid of pumpkin. They’ll have cinnamon and nutmeg and ginger, sure, but just saying that things have the same spices you would put in pumpkin pie doesn’t make them a fall flavor. Pumpkin is the only thing in the list that is seasonal.
This ice cream tastes like pumpkin pie, because it has real, honest-to-goodness pumpkin in it. When you think about it, Pumpkin Pie is already a custard pie, so it makes sense to make it into an ice cream.
One recommendation, don’t skip the vodka unless you have a very good reason to do so. I listed it as optional, as it is in all my ice creams, but there’s extra water in the pumpkin, even if we try to drive it off by cooking it on its own for a few minutes at the start. The edible antifreeze is really helpful here but, if you absolutely can’t stand it, then be prepared to let this sit out on the counter for 15 minutes before it’s scoopable.
Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons vodka (optional)
Instructions
- Put pumpkin in a medium saucepan and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat to drive off moisture.
- Add cream, milk, brown sugar, and salt and stir together.
- Bring mixture just to a simmer at 170°, then remove from heat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and brown sugar about 2 minutes.
- Add in pumpkin pie spice, whisk to combine, then gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups of the warm cream mixture to temper the eggs.
- Drizzle and whisk the eggs from the bowl back into the saucepan, whisking constantly, then bring back to 170° over medium heat, also whisking constantly.
- Add vanilla extract and brandy to ice cream and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.
Make it? Love it?
