Every year I get a slew of requests from people looking for a recipe for Pumpkin Ice Cream. While in The Perfect Scoop I have a recipe for Sweet Potato Ice Cream studded with maple-glazed pecans, there's something about the fall that makes people think of all-things pumpkin. I'm a big fan of sweet potatoes, personally, but old traditions die hard I suppose. And Pumpkin Ice Cream got put on my to-churn list.
As luck would have it, I was leafing through a copy of The Craft of Baking by Karen DeMasco, former pastry chef at Craft in New York City, and landed on a picture of Pumpkin Ice Cream. Quelle chance! So I thought I'd give her recipe a spin in my ice cream machine.
Karen uses canned pumpkin, which a lot of people like to use because it's easy and consistent. But it's not so easy to find in Paris. And even though I'm an outcast for using sweet potatoes, I'm still a bit old-fashioned and like to make my own puree. So there.
The pumpkins we get here, les potirons, are huge...and delicious.
And they're always sold by the slice. The problem is that their pulp has a high water content, so I swapped out butternut squash, which goes by the aptly-named butternut, in French. Unlike in the states, where squash and root vegetables are fairly common, they're getting reacquainted with some of them that are lesser-known in Paris. Certain varieties of vegetables, called légumes oubliés (forgotten vegetables), are making a modest comeback. Especially root vegetables and squashes, which have an unfortunate association with war time, so they fell out of favor. But I don't need to welcome them back because I never forgot about them.
Unfortunately not everyone misses them as much as I do and I went to a few markets and didn't find les butternuts. I even scoured the ethnic markets in the north of Paris, which is where I usually find the unusual fruits and vegetables I'm seeking. But on the way home, I was passing by Ed, a discount supermarket which is frequented by folks of lesser-means and found two giant specimens, ready for my taking.
So after lugging them home (one in particular got quite a few stares...I'll let you guess which one...) I cut up the less-intimidating one, split it in half, then roasted it in a moderately-hot oven, cut side down on a buttered baking sheet until the pulp was very soft, which took about 45 minutes. Then I scooped out the pulp and pureed it, which was a beautiful russet hue. So much so, that I'd hoped there was more than the 3/4 cup asked for the in recipe, because I couldn't help from eating a few spoonfuls of it. (I also love eating the deeply-caramelized part of the squash that gets browned by the baking sheet.)
If you can get sugar pumpkins, those work well and are much tastier than standard Jack O'Lantern pumpkins. But feel free to use canned pumpkin, which is what the original recipe called for if you'd like. After all, this is supposed to be Pumpkin Ice Cream.
I followed her recipe pretty closely, although I added a spoonful of liquor at the end, which augmented the flavor of the pumpkin and gave the ice cream a creamy, scoopable consistency. I was prepared to fuss around with the spices, but I found her combination exactly right to my taste.
So I've got a batch in my freezer, all ready for the holidays. I'm thinking of serving it alongside gingerbread, but it would also make a wonderful base for some ice cream puffs with warm caramel sauce and toasted nuts. Or even atop Warm Individual Spiced Chocolate cakes.
Pumpkin Ice CreamMakes about 1 quart (1l)
Adapted from The Craft of Baking by Karen DeMasco & Mindy Fox
If using canned pumpkin, make sure to find one that's 100% pumpkin. Often you'll find cans of Pumpkin Pie Filling, which usually has spices and sweetener already added.
Press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer before freezing, as directed. Pumpkin can be slightly grainy and straining the custard is a good idea to help smooth it out.
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) whole milk
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (95 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
5 large egg yolks
1/4 cup packed (60 g) dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
optional: 2 teaspoons Grand Marnier, rum or brandy
3/4 cup (180 g) canned pumpkin puree (100% pure), or homemade (see directions in post)
1. Make an ice bath by putting some ice and a little water in a large bowl and nest a smaller metal bowl (one that will hold at least 2 quarts, 2l) inside it. Set a mesh strainer over the top.
2. In a medium saucepan mix the milk, cream, granulated sugar, ginger, ground cinnamon, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, and salt.
3. Warm the mixture until hot and the edges begin to bubble and foam.
4. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl and gradually whisk in about half of the warm spiced milk mixture, stirring constantly.
5. Scrape the warmed yolks back in to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read between 160º-170ºF (71º-76ºC).
6. Immediately pour the mixture through the strainer into the bowl nested in the ice bath. Mix in the brown sugar, then stir until cool, then chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.
7. Whisk in the vanilla, liquor (if using), and pumpkin puree. Press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Variations: Stir in 1 to 1 1/2 cups (250 - 320 g) white or milk chocolate chips, crushed caramel, chopped up Skor or Daim (toffee) bars, or chopped toasted pecans or walnuts. A bit of chopped candied ginger would be nice, too.
Leftover bits of crumbled gingersnaps or gingerbread, or even toasted bits of brown bread or gingerbread could also be folded in, or crumbled on top for serving, which was suggested in the book.
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oh this is just perfect. that color...I wish I could taste this. yes, perfect for the holidays indeed and something different from the norm.
Beautiful pumpkin ice cream! It is one of my most favorite treats. So much better homemade.
Nothing is better than pumpkin ice cream right now!!
I made pumpkin ice cream using a bag of "pumpkin puree" I found in an asian grocery store. It wasn't pure pumpkin, as it also had white bean paste and malt syrup in it but it was wonderful. Everyone who had it loved it.
Long time, first time...
I'm not a big fan of pumpkin, so I might actually like a sweet potato ice cream. I did, however, get a request from a friend also and this is the recipe that I used. It was *extremely* thick (took, like, 5 minutes in the machine), but got rave reviews. The recipe you've posted looks like it'll be a bit lighter with the higher content of milk; perhaps I'll try that next. Thanks!
D'oh! Here's the recipe: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/pumpkin-ice-cream.html?cm_src=oldlink
Thanks for another great post, David. Having made the tasty granola several times, I will now proceed toward pumpkin ice cream!
david-this is great! i was just going to try your sweet potato recipe, but i can use this now! i, too, like to make my own puree and have quite a bit from the sugar pumpkins i roasted this week. its hard not to steal a spoonful when its going through the food mill.
Yes, pumpkin sounds great, but when you said sweet potato ice cream, that immediately struck a chord. Must find that one!
David, that sounds heavenly! I am now toying with the idea of making it for a Thanksgiving presentation I'm giving the pre-schoolers in my son's nursery...might be a more sure-fire hit than pumpkin pie.
I'm so glad to hear that winter squash are starting to be more common in Paris! I spent (literally) years searching for them before I discovered a stall at the organic market in the 17th that had them. If you are ever stuck again, try looking there - the furthest stall from the metro on the left as you face Montmartre! (Unless she's moved in the last year, in which case ask Clotilde!)
Such beautiful color, and those pumpkins that you have, so knobby! The ice cream looks wonderful :)
SO DAVID - I read a post recently from you that said if we needed to get an answer from you on something the best form of communication would be to post the question in the comments. So here's a question, with a difficult predicament.
If I ask a question, on some other blog platforms I can subscribe to the comments to see if there's been a response. I don't see that option here. Am I being blind? Is there a way to be notified of follow up comments?
As much as I absolutely love you :) I'm afraid I can't really stay on your site all day (as much as I would like to) and keep refreshing to see if there's an answer. Would love the option of subscribing to the comments :)
Now here's the second part of the question, and hence my real issue. Since I've asked a question here and I don't receive follow up comments, how will I know you answered :( :(
Speaking of forgotten vegetables, for several years I sold cakes (as a guest producer) at farmers markets in Normandy on the 1st May bank holiday. Many customers seemed to be weekenders from Paris. The first year (maybe 2004) I dealt with incredulity at the concept of root vegetables in cakes but the carrot cakes sold out after tasting. The next year customers bought into the idea of chocolate beetroot cakes but both times I went home with the lemon (parsnip) drizzle cakes. Only by omitting the veg from the description did I manage to sample and sell the lemon cakes in the 3rd year - if the customers read the ingredients when they got home, the choice to eat was theirs!
I'm glad to hear the Parisians are finally overcoming their resentment of the vegetables which sustained them during their most difficult times.
This is something I never would have tried and yet it looks absolutely delicious. I just posted a recipe for hot-mulled cider, and you know what, that combination of tastes is begging to be tried. Warm, cold, warm, cold.... just like the weather here in New England! :) Thanks David...
Michaela
Amanda: I've asked my webmaster about an RSS feed for the comments. So hopefully he can add that to the site soon. Keep checking back ; )
Meg: Interestingly, when I've asked people where to get root vegetables, I was told I had to go to the branché (trendy) markets. Which had me scratching my head. I think the old generation kind of avoids root vegetables (except potatoes, which they love), but people in their 30s are discovering them. I do find some at various markets, but am surprised they're not more well-used here, since the French love potirons and beets, you'd think parsnips other root vegetables would be a hit.
Kate: I made dinner last night with roasted root vegetables and one of the diners went nuts for them. He kept picking them all out and sticking them in his mouth. But another friend said she had parsnips once and they were too sweet. And there is a bit of an aversion to sweet things, like sweet potatoes and marshmallows, around here...which I keep threatening to make. (Although I'm not a big fan either—just give me the marshmallows!)
David, I saw a woman with a butternut squash in her shopping cart that looked like the one that caused some stares. I had to take a second look, the neck was so long!
I have some sugar pumpkins ready to be roasted for a pumpkin ice cream, so thanks for the kick in the behind, they will be in the oven shortly. I have to have it soon!
BTW, you might want to fix the link for Karen's book, it brings to your book's amazon page.
Happy churnin'!
I never thought of that. What a great idea. I love pumpkin... and ice cream.
It would never have occurred to me to use butternut squash as anything other than a savoury vegetable, or sweet potatoes, either, come to that! An interesting idea, thank you.
This looks delicious! I never thought of making pumpkin ice cream. Would this go well with apple pie instead of vanilla ice cream?
I was wondering where you found butternut squash in Paris! I've been pining after some.
Also, I love pumpkin ice cream, but now I really want to make sweet potato! Brilliant.
I am glad to see this post and that you made a Squash ice cream. I stayed up late the last two nights roasting squash and making squash ice cream and pudding as an experiment. I have never worked with squashes before until this fall.
I wish I would have waited a day to read your post and your note about straining the squash/pumpkin mixture. I was able to figure it out by the time I cooked up the custard mixture for the ice cream. But I didn't do it for the pudding--it tastes good but the texture is ruined by all the stingy pulp. It looks like it has celullite.
Being a non North American, and a fairly recent immigrant to Canada, I have only just granted the pumpkin access to my dessert repertoire. Pumpkin ice cream… that definitely raises the bar. Which is not to say I don’t like it. But the inviting golden colour often misleads me into expecting another flavour…. Caramel? Butterscotch? Nope – definitely pumpkin.
If I try this I think I’d go for your inspired idea of adding crushed Daim bar, or perhaps swirl in some dulce de leche as it freezes.
On a side note – I just read your book ‘The Sweet Life in Paris’, which I greatly enjoyed - and it’s now moved from my bedside table to my partner’s… I was especially happy to find a instructions for DIY crème fraiche, which isn’t readily available where I live. Thirty dollars well spent.
ED is really cool for vegetables, I've always found some nice items on their shelves, and (usually) everything is fresh. It's the only discounter supermarket in france with this level of quality for greeneries. I love their haricots cocos, and les radis noirs.
This extra long butternut squash is amazingly elegant, I love those lines that have a voluntary aspect :D. It is surely very good in this ice cream, but before cooking it I think I'd wait and place it on a base, for giving everyone a chance to admire it :) .
When I was gardening at my granmother's garden, I usually kept the most beautifull long or round pumpkin and I let it ripen until the end, to make it fibrous and to let it aquire it's most beautiful colors. then, I had it decorating my house for weeks. It's wonderfull what nature can produce, I've always considered those fruits as a work of art.
David,
You are brave to post that extra large butternut squash. I took a picture of a similar butternut squash at the local farmers' market, and decided not to post it on my blog because it was too - err - suggestive? Maybe I just have dirty mind. ;)
I now understand your dilemma with making pumpkin ice cream. I think the pumpkins sold by the slice are the Cinderella varietal, and yes, the flesh tends to be quite watery. If you have access - and I'm guessing you don't - two other denser varieties may work well, red kuri and kabocha.
Best,
Christine
I bought a huge jack-o-lantern pumpkin and did not need it for that purpose, so I baked it, in two batches as it was too big for the oven. I then used the food mill and cheese cloth to separate the pulp from the juice. I now have 5.5 lbs of puree, and 3 gallons of juice, which is quite sweet. The puree will be easy enough to use up, in pumpkin bars, pies, bread, etc., but I have no recipes for the juice. Any ideas?
The pulp is amazingly good. I wonder if it is a different variety yet than the ones that people say are not as good.
Good timing! Last year's pumpkin was turned into a jack-o-lantern and then into compost. It grew in my garden this summer and produced one lovely pumpkin. We picked it, turned it into a jack-o-lantern and then I cooked it. I made pumpkin bars yesterday and still had a bit less than one cup of pumpkin left. Guess what I'm making this weekend?! (And, the seeds are back in the compost pile where I hope they will produce next year's pumpkin!)
The color of your pumpkin ice cream is gorgeous! I made a pumpkin/yam pie last year that included cooking them down together to remove some of the water from the pumpkin puree and intensify the flavor. It also included some maple syrup (and I added some bourbon to it as well). It was a perfect marriage and the texture was wonderful. Once the cream was added, the first thing that came to mind was 'wouldn't that make a perfectly flavored ice cream?" You've inspired me to try it, but with your recipe formula..and some bourbon as the liquor. Thanks for this!
I like to make my own puree too, but I have noticed that not everyone else likes it, and many pro pastry chefs/cookbook authors who can do both...still recommend the canned suff. I have noticed a very big difference between different brands of canned puree, in flavor, smell, texture, but more of all, color.
And when I make a pumpkin pie from a fresh pumpkin, what seems to throw people off, if they notice anything, is the color. I have always wondered why Libby brand is that deep, bright, russet-y, yam-esque orange.
Well, I think I found the answer; from the Libby website: "LIBBY'S uses a special variety of pumpkin called "Dickinson". Through careful cultivation and research, we’ve ensured that all of our pumpkin has a delicious taste, creamy texture and pleasing orange color."
MMMMM, this is a perfect way to use of one of those cinderella pumpkins I grew this year. I love love love some good pumpkin ice cream! Mr Chiots is going to be so excited about this.
If I make my own pumpkin purée, I do as commenter Lee does and drain it in cheese cloth. But I've never thought of doing anything with the resulting pumpkin water. Hmmm.
I've found le butternut at Raspail (I know, I know).
Hi David: I wonder if you have come across any great recipes for pumpkin cookies. I've found plenty of bar recipes, but nothing cookie-formed. Thanks for your great site!
This is perfect! In the South at Thanksgiving the temperature can sometimes get in the 80's. This would be a great dessert after all the turkey and trimmings. It made my mouth water just reading about it. Thanks so much.
This looks amazing. I've never had much luck with ice cream making but this is definitely tempting me to try again.
I've cooked up many a butternut, but *never* seen one like that... leave it to you to find it! ;)
I love the idea of this with something gingerbread-y. I'm not a huge fan of either flavor on its own, but together it somehow appeals to me as more than the sum of its parts.
Lee> I never tried, but maybe you could do some pumpkin cider instead of apple cider ? when there's sugar you can make fermented alcoohol. I suppose that any homemade cider recipe would work if the sugar amount in the pumpkin juice is set properly, even with some more added if necessary. Flavoured with spices, that could be the perfect holiday drink :D.
If you don't like/want cider, maybe you could also reduce the juice and add sugar to create some nice pumpkin flavoured sirup.
Sounds awesome! I would think Frangelico would be good as well and then roasted hazelnuts on top. :)
David, you are on one heck of a roll. First the poached pears, then sidecars, then the tart and now pumpkin ice cream! My waistline can't take it. Oh, yes it can. This weekend I make the pumpkin ice cream. Thanks. And I'll be drinking sidecars while it is churning.
noelle & christine: Well, there were only 2 butternut squash left in the store and I had to buy them both. That long one, for some reason, no one else bought. And I thought it needed a good home!
karen: Thanks, I fixed the link.
NickMontreal: Oddly, I never would eat pumpkin pie when I was a kid. That funny orange color (and texture) scared me away. But then I tried it and loved it. I also wouldn't eat lobster either, which really peeves me because I missed a lot of lobster...
(And glad you liked the book--thanks!)
David - I made a butternut squash gelato last week and posted about it a few days ago. It's a recipe by Pino Luongo that is similar to yours, but also adds cardamom. I added some rum to it, as you did too. Your variety is much more orange than the ones I grew.
Hi David,
I have some beautiful sparkling decorating sugars, but they melt when you put them on top of icing. What is the proper way to use these so they retain the sparkle.
(Sorry for being off topic. I know you have lots of different forums for answering questions, but I like/read this blog the most).
And, I think you are awesome.
Rita
David, here is another variation. As the article says Kitty could be someone to watch:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/oct/15/ice-cream-maker-chef
A fabulous recipe today that I just might do for our upcoming expat dinner. I am mad for all kinds of squash like this & grow a lot of varieties in the potager in Normandy since they have been almost impossible to find in Paris. However, now I am finding the butternuts plus other varieties at Raspail market. Hooray---apart from the cost of course. There is a wonderful annual festival in the south of France for these magnificent vegetables, which I always miss for some reason, but will go to at some point.
carol: Isn't it interesting that these kinds of légumes oubliés can be expensive at some markets? I'm sure when they're raised by smaller farmers, the costs are understandably higher. But they are the easiest thing to grow. btw: I paid €1.99 for each butternut. I don't know how much they would be as the Raspail market, but I just joined a CSA and perhaps I'll find one in my basket next week.
David...have you ever found a store called Espace Fraîcheur or Grand Frais ( http://shedefan.over-blog.com/article-13311706.html )? I don't know if there are stores of this concept in or around Paris, but in the département of Allier & Puy de Dôme, I can find almost any produce that I have found in the US. They are terrific, and I find things there that I've never heard of: e.g. "ornithogale" or "asperge des bois" ( http://chefsimon.com/asperge-bois.html ), which was really interesting and delicious. By the way, your Herbed Ricotta Tarte was wonderful.....thank you.
"I was passing by Ed, a discount supermarket which is frequented by folks of lesser-means and found two giant specimens, ready for my taking." Go Ed stores!! I am with Krysalia up there -- and I have to add that the Leader Price near me, which is my main shopping gig as it is so inexpensive (being one of those lesser-means folks), has good quality fruits and veggies, especially the ones in season, at very low prices. I just bought some potiron there last week and baked it up to make a purée for soup. I am so very happy to see these veggies in stores/at markets again, too.
I vote you serve the ice cream with gingerbread. That is making my mouth water just thinking about it!
Lee & Barbra : re using pumpkin liquid : I always freeze mine to use as a base for soups & risottos - a simple way of adding a wonderful flavour!
I don't know about in Paris, but in the UK Lidl stores always have great vegetables and fruit - not as wide a range as the main supermarkets, but seasonal, and much more locally sourced.
(Incidentally, did you see Clothilde's recipe for Jerusalem artichoke soup, in which she also discusses the legumes oubliés, including swede (rutabaga) - never forgotten in this country and a staple - and the eponymous Jerusalem artichokes (topinambours), which I have been able to find in farmers' markets these past two years. Butternut squash is available here all year round in every supermarket, but the one I am just finishing now was grown by my mother.