PUMPKIN SPICE ICE CREAM W/ CANDIED PUMPKIN SEEDS

A full year has gone by since my last ice cream post (hello, brown sugar + chocolate chip cookie dough) so I’d say it’s about time we revisited my favorite frozen treat. Being a sucker for seasonal flavors -peppermint ice cream and graham cracker frozen yogurt being some of my favorites - I wanted to do another ice cream that would be perfect for the autumn season: something that could be enjoyed while watching scary movies during Halloween time or as a dessert option for Thanksgiving. So, of course, I landed on pumpkin, an ingredient that is synonymous with the season and one that I truly love incorporating into desserts. If you’re looking for other pumpkin recipes, check out my pumpkin cheesecake, which I make every Thanksgiving, or my pumpkin and brown butter breakfast puffs, which are essentially doughnut holes baked in a muffin tin.

Now let’s talk about today’s ice cream. My pumpkin spice ice cream is custard based, meaning egg yolks are added to the milk/sugar mixture in order to yield a creamier flavor and a smoother texture. I always make my ice cream this way because although it requires a bit more skill while making it, the end result is far superior and comparable to what you’d find at artisanal ice cream shops. As for the pumpkin component, you’ll be adding store bought canned pumpkin purée (my favorite brand being Libby’s) or you can go above and beyond and make your own in case you just so happen to have unused pumpkins lying around. As you can tell from my pictures, my pumpkin ice cream will not give you a vibrant orange color like some other recipes do, and this is mostly due to the amount of milk, heavy cream and egg yolks added in relation to the pumpkin purée. I actually think the end result looks more natural with its faint hint of orange, but if you’re concerned that there isn’t enough pumpkin flavor, I assure you, it’s the perfect ratio.

The “spice” component of this ice cream comes from adding typical spices that you would find when baking a pumpkin pie: ground cinnamon, ginger and clove. You can definitely add nutmeg, allspice, cardamom or even black pepper if you want, or even make it easier on yourself and simply use store bought pumpkin pie spice, which is essentially a blend of all the aforementioned spices. I get mine from Trader Joe’s and actually used it for the candied pumpkin seeds component of this recipe.

Speaking of the candied pumpkin seeds, I got the idea for this from another seasonal ice cream recipe of mine: my maple pecan ice cream. I’m the kind of person who loves a crunchy/textural element in my ice cream, whether from chocolate chunks, toffee bits, or mini marshmallows, so I thought adding a bit more pumpkin flavor via the seeds would be a great addition. Because the seeds are candied, it adds little chunks of buttery, sweetness to just about every bite and really makes the ice cream that much more addicting.

Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream w/ Candied Pumpkin Seeds

Yields about 1 quart
Recipe adapted from David Lebovitz

Ingredients

For the candied pumpkin seeds:

• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

• 1 tbsp. brown sugar (light or dark)

• 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

For the ice cream:

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• Pinch of kosher salt

• 5 large egg yolks

• 3/4 cup pumpkin purée

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp. ground ginger

• 1/4 tsp, cloves

Directions

Make the candied pumpkin seeds:

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and toss to coat with butter. Sprinkle in the brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice, and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the seeds are candied. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely.

Make the ice cream:

1. Pour the heavy cream into a medium-sized bowl and set a strainer over the top. Place this bowl into an ice bath and set aside.

2. Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks together. Just as the milk mixture is beginning to simmer, gradually add some of it to the bowl of egg yolks, whisking constantly as to not scramble the eggs (this is called tempering). Once the egg yolk mixture temperature has raised, pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of your spatula or spoon.

3. Pour the custard mixture over the strainer-lined bowl. Stir the custard in with the heavy cream that is already in the bowl for a couple of minutes in order to bring the temperature down a bit. Pour this and all other ice cream ingredients (pumpkin purée, vanilla extract, and spices) into a blender and blend for about 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture back to the bowl that held the custard base, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

4. Churn the ice cream in your maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the finished ice cream to an airtight container and stir in the candied pumpkin seeds. Freeze until solid. Enjoy!

BROWN SUGAR + (EDIBLE) CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH ICE CREAM

After my sister’s baby shower in July - which if you forgot, I made enough ice cream to feed a small army - I decided to take a break from making my favorite frozen dessert. And even though it was much needed, and I was happily baking cookies, tarts and cheesecakes these past few months, I knew it wouldn’t be long before the ice cream maker was calling my name.

What also prompted me to pull my ice cream maker out of the pantry was in part from binge-watching Viceland’s TV show “The Ice Cream Show”. Although the show debuted in 2018, it just came onto my radar last week when Viceland aired a marathon of the series (there’s only 10 episodes total). The show is hosted by Isaac Lappert, a third generation ice cream maker who has been working for his family’s ice cream company, Lappert’s, since he was 6 years old. Throughout the series, Isaac travels around the country visiting and eating at America’s most beloved ice cream destinations; a very basic formula for food television, but one that resonated with me because I dream of opening up my own cream shop one day. To see various companies that started from all different backgrounds and hear their stories of blooming into huge successful companies or remain “mom and pop” shops that have a cult following, was seriously inspiring.

In one of the episodes, Isaac visits the Mecca of the ice cream world: the Ben & Jerry’s factory in Vermont. When I was watching this episode (and if I’m being honest, every other episode as well) I was dying to get into the kitchen to make a quart of ice cream. When I was little, if you were to ask me what my favorite foods were, I 100% would have answered with “chicken fingers and fries and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream”. And although I was obsessed with Thrifty’s version of the popular ice cream flavor, Ben & Jerry’s was the kind I always wanted but only got on special occasions because it was the “fancier” ice cream. Regardless, I am a chocolate chip cookie dough (CCCD from here on out!) ice cream fanatic and once I was able to make my version of it at home, adult version of me was not only elated but worried about not fitting into my clothes anymore. Because I will say this, the recipe I’m giving you below for my version of a CCCD ice cream is just as, if not better, than Ben & Jerry’s. And I think that’s a big deal!

I’ve made this ice cream for myself a handful of times over the years and I usually combined the cookie dough with a basic vanilla ice cream recipe. But for my blog, I wanted to give you another option but keep it simple enough so that the ice cream base wouldn’t overpower the cookie dough: enter brown sugar ice cream. I basically took my vanilla ice cream recipe and swapped in brown sugar where the granulated sugar went, took out one egg yolk and called it a day! I was worried that you wouldn’t be able to tell a difference between this and my basic vanilla recipe, but there’s definitely a distinction albeit a subtle one. Since brown sugar has molasses in it, the ice cream will have a slight caramel/toffee taste to it and the overall appearance (especially pre-churned) will be a darker/more tan color than plan vanilla. As for what kind of brown sugar to use… light, golden, dark… you’re good to use any of the three. I’ve made it with light brown sugar and then once with dark brown and I saw no difference in the color of the ice cream base nor did I taste anything different. So whatever you have in you’re pantry, use it up.

Let’s get to the most important aspect of today’s ice cream: the cookie dough. I’d like to think of myself as a “normal” fan when it comes to cookie dough and how I eat it. For example, whenever I make a batch of cookies, I of course steal bits of dough here and there and love to lick clean the spatula and mixing bowl (yet, I’m nice and usually give it to Alex because we’re in a healthy, sharing relationship). But, I am pretty grossed out with the new fad of shops that solely sell scoops of cookie dough, instead of scoops of ice cream. I don’t know why but I feel like a bowl of cookie dough is too much and it should be a little treat that you either sneak when baking cookies or search for pockets of when eating a pint of ice cream. My point is… cookie dough is sacred and there’s a right time and place for it. Don’t exploit it!

Growing up, I know we all were warned by our parents that it was unsafe to consume raw cookie dough, and obviously, the moment my mom left the kitchen, I would take a HUGE spoonful out of the Pillsbury cookie dough tube (you know the one). I still stand by the fact that a little bit can’t hurt you, but if you’re going to make your own CCCD ice cream with the only intention of eating raw cookie dough, then definitely you need to take the proper steps to avoid getting sick. It was always thought that consuming raw eggs were the problematic part of cookie dough, but as we’ve come to find out, it’s also the flour as well! Raw flour is loaded with bacteria, so the cookie dough recipe below will not only be missing eggs but will have instructions for you to heat the flour to 160° F. This can be done in the microwave and only takes about 1 minute, but it’s an important step! Don’t skip it.

So since we’re taking eggs out of the cookie dough, we’re going to have to add something that helps bind the dough together as well as provides fat for flavor. The best way to achieve that is by using heavy cream, but in a pinch, you can also use whole milk especially since you’ll have leftover if you’re making the ice cream base. As for the rest of the dough and the process of making it, it’s totally simple. You don’t need the rising agents (baking powder and baking soda) because you won’t be baking off the dough and overall, you can be pretty lackadaisical when making the dough. You don’t have to worry too much about having perfectly room temperature butter or whether or not you over mixed the dough… these are all things that need to be taken into account when baking off the cookies, not for consuming raw cookie dough. The only thing you have to worry about is if the dough tastes amazing. It will, I promise.

Brown Sugar and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Yields about 1 quart

Ingredients

For the ice cream:

• 1 cup whole milk

• 2 cups heavy cream, divided

• 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed (light or dark works)

• Pinch of salt

• 5 large egg yolks

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• Chocolate chip cookie dough, to finish (recipe below)

For the edible cookie dough (recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker)

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

• 2 tbsp. heavy cream (or whole milk)

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Directions

1. In a large bowl, add 1 cup of the heavy cream and set a strainer over the top (use a bowl that will be able to fit over an ice bath for later).

2. Warm the milk, 1 cup of heavy cream, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks together. Just as the milk mixture is beginning to simmer, gradually add some of it to the bowl of egg yolks, whisking constantly as to not scramble the eggs (this is called tempering). Once the egg yolk mixture temperature has raised, pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of your spatula or spoon.

3. Pour the custard mixture over the strainer-lined bowl. Stir the custard in with the heavy cream that is already in the bowl and add in the vanilla extract. Let the ice cream base sit over an ice bath for about an hour before moving to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

4. Make the cookie dough: Place the flour in a small bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute and 15 seconds, stirring well every 15 seconds. You want to get the flour’s temperature up to 160°, but if you don’t have a thermometer, 1:15 should be more than enough time to kill any bacteria. Set the flour aside. In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer) cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add in the heavy cream and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Add the flour and salt and mix on low for 10 seconds, then mix on medium until no flour bits remain. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour (this will help in scooping out the cookie dough bites).

5. Right before churning the ice cream, scoop out the cookie dough bites. You can use a teaspoon to help make more uniform bites, but honestly, I just used my hands and eyeballed it. The dough bites don’t have to be perfectly matched! Quickly roll each cookie dough bite into a ball and stick them onto a plate and place them in the freezer.

6. Churn the ice cream in your maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the finished ice cream to an airtight container and stir in the cookie dough bites. Freeze until solid. Enjoy!

DIY ICE CREAM BAR TIPS

The ice cream line-up (from top to bottom): mint chocolate chip, rocky road, vanilla, coffee toffee. All stored in various Tovolo containers.

This past Saturday was my sister’s baby shower, and I, of course, took on the task of handling dessert. I feel like for most baby showers, there’s usually a cutesy dessert table filled with pink cupcakes, blue candies or a donut wall, but if you know my sister and I, that’s not really our style. We both just wanted simple, summer-y desserts that both men and women would enjoy, since it was a co-ed baby shower. My initial plans were to make about three Victoria sponge cakes with each one highlighting a summer fruit (peaches, strawberries, etc.) but the closer we got to the date, the temperature continued to rise and the less I wanted to turn on the oven to make 6 or more cake layers.

So eventually I thought to make ice cream, which by now, I’m sure you all know is my favorite dessert to make. Everyone loves ice cream, and there’s something nostalgic about eating it that makes you feel like a kid, which I think is perfect for a baby shower. So, I set out to make an ice cream bar with homemade ice cream and even though it was my first time tackling such a large task (the party had about 70 attendees), it was actually super fun and not that daunting due to simple planning and organization. Here are my steps and tips to a successful ice cream bar.

(I apologize that I don’t have more photos of the ice cream bar setup - it was a looooong day, starting with my mom breaking her arm and winding up in the hospital. So once the party finally began, I tried to relax and indulged in many, many margaritas. Photos weren’t my priority by ice cream time!)

Rocky road and mint chocolate chip ice creams both in 2.5 quart-sized Tovolo containers

1) Buy quality ice cream containers: before you begin making the ice cream, make sure you have good containers to store it in. All these years that I’ve been making ice cream, I’d always stored them in either random mismatched Tupperware containers or various cake pans covered with plastic wrap, which was obviously an eye sore. Although this worked just fine for a single batch of ice cream consumed by myself, it wasn’t going to cut it for 8 batches of ice cream on display at a party. I had been eyeing Tovolo’s ice cream containers for years and finally purchased 5 of them in different sizes. Not only are they adorable, but ensure that there’ll be no freezer burn with its double wall insulation and secured lids. Tip: the cheapest place I found the containers for sale was at Sur La Table! Not Amazon!

2) Choose ice cream flavors and quantity: pick however many flavors that you are comfortable with making and how much you’ll make of each (based on how large the party will be). Furthermore, stick with recipes that you’re also acquainted with: I wouldn’t suggest making a new recipe that you’ve never tried before, which could lead to a disaster. I ended up making 4 different flavors - coffee toffee, fresh mint chocolate chip, rocky road and plain vanilla - all recipes found on my blog - and either did a single, double, or triple batch. I wanted to use 3 classic flavors because I knew everyone would love them and threw in the coffee toffee since it’s my favorite and not something you can find at the store (it ended up being the most popular at the party). Once you have all your flavors picked out, you can then make your grocery shopping list.

The ice cream toppings selection: rainbow sprinkles, chopped peanuts, mini chocolate chips, crushed Oreos, toffee bits and gummi bears.

3) Go shopping for the ice cream bases and extra toppings: since all of my ice creams were custard-based, I bought my eggs in bulk at Costco, but everything else either came from Trader Joe’s or a standard grocery store. I also set up a toppings section for those that wanted to jazz up the plain vanilla or the other flavors. My toppings included: crushed Oreos, mini chocolate chips, Haribo gummi bears, toffee bits, chopped peanuts and sprinkles. If you want to make it more baby shower themed, you can opt to put out only pink or blue candies.

4) Plan out making your ice cream. The best part about ice cream is that you can make it well in advance as long as you have room in your freezer. I decided to dedicate one flavor per day and spread it out over the week leading up to the party so that 1) I didn’t lose my sanity and 2) my ice cream maker’s freezer bowl had significant time to freeze between batches. I also did the most time consuming ice cream first (rocky road) and left the easiest (vanilla) to be my last.

I brought my own collection of ice cream scoops to the party. It added a personal touch to the ice cream bar and made it feel more rustic.

5) Purchase servingware for ice cream: this includes small bowls, spoons and ice cream cones. I got plastic bowls and spoons from the dollar store to save money, but for a more eco-friendly option, you can buy bamboo utensils and biodegradable bowls. As for the cones, I bought a few packs of my favorite waffle cones from Trader Joe’s which honestly taste like they’re freshly made from an ice cream shop. Also, try to have enough ice cream scoops so that there is one per flavor. I collect vintage and new ice cream scoops, so I had plenty to bring with me to the party, but you can find cheap ones at the dollar store as well.

6) Have dry ice, will travel: if you plan on setting up an ice cream bar at a location that’s not at your house, I strongly suggest buying dry ice the day of the party. My sister’s baby shower was in Culver City in LA, which with traffic, is about an hour and a half drive from my house. I bought about 10 lbs. of dry ice, put the ice cream containers at the bottom of a large cooler, and placed broken up pieces of the dry ice on top, since cold air travels downward. Since dry ice lasts up to 24 hours, the ice cream is safe from melting and could stay in the cooler all through out the party if there happens to be no freezer available.

7) Setting up: I didn’t worry about setting up the ice cream bar until about an hour after everyone at the party had eaten the main course. I used the same table that the main meal was served on and put out three trays - one that held the ice cream toppings, one for ice cream scoops, and the last for the waffle cones/bowls and spoons. I had intended on putting the ice cream on ice in big buckets to prevent any melting but since everyone came in at once to serve themselves, the ice cream went pretty quickly before it had a chance to melt. Since I didn’t make placards detailing each ice cream flavor or ice cream topping, I stuck around and answered any questions people had (but I definitely do recommend making cute placards if you have the time). But I actually enjoyed hanging around because it was so rewarding to see people’s reactions to the ice cream that I made and to hear their nice comments about it all. It was a lot of work, so it was nice to be praised, not gonna lie.

So there are my tips! Once again, I really enjoyed setting up the ice cream bar (more than when I did the desserts for my sister’s wedding) and I think it’s a great idea for not only baby showers, but for birthday parties or any other celebrations. If you plan on doing one in the future and need some more guidance, let me know!

One party-goer’s ice cream creation: plain vanilla with rainbow sprinkles in a waffle cone. Classic.