Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

In case it isn't obvious by the frequency with which I post about desserts, I have a sweet tooth.  Dinner in our house is more often than not followed by something sweet.  As the weather turns and fall and then winter arrive, I always look forward to the arrival of my two favorite seasonal ice cream flavors - pumpkin and peppermint stick.  This year I am determined to make homemade batches of both.

This recipe for pumpkin ice cream requires a bit of advance planning as the puree must be chilled initially and then the custard must be chilled again.  You can make this in one day, but be sure to leave enough time for both the puree and the custard to chill.  There is also a LOT of heavy cream in this recipe.  It is delicious but obviously unhealthy.  That said, I have found that a few bites of this is more than enough and it is something to really be savored.  Finally, the chocolate chips are optional - I threw them in at Rob's request and because I do think pumpkin and chocolate are a dynamite combination.  

If you'd like to make your own pumpkin puree, I've included instructions below the recipe.  It will absolutley make a difference in how flavorful the ice cream is but obviously adds a step to the preparation.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma  
Yield = approximately 1 quart 

Ingredients
1 cup fresh pumpkin puree* or canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
5 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 - 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips (miniature chips are preferable) 

Preparation

In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours.

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 1/2 cups of the cream and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar. Cook until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes.  

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the egg yolks, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, the remaining 1/2 cup cream and the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. Whisk until smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve.

Remove the cream mixture from the heat. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture until smooth. Pour the egg mixture back into the pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and keeping the custard at a low simmer, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 4 to 6 minutes. Do not allow the custard to boil. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.

Place the bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice water, stirring occasionally until cool. Whisk the pumpkin mixture into the custard.  Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.  Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.  While the mixture is whirling around in your ice cream maker, add the chocolate chips.  I started with 1/2 cup and then sprinkled additional chips until the ratio seemed right.  Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container.  Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days, before serving.  Makes about 1 quart.

*To make your own pumpkin puree, use 1 large or 2 medium Sugar Pie or other eating (not field) pumpkins.  Cut out the stem and quarter the pumpkin lengthwise. In a preheated 400°F oven, bake the quarters, cut side down, in a shallow roasting pan with a little water in the bottom until tender, about 1 hour.  Let cool, scrape out the seeds and cut the flesh from the peels.  It is recommended that you then force the pumpkin through a medium-mesh sieve or the medium disk of a food mill.  I am lazy and instead just processed it in the food processer.  Freeze any leftover puree for up to 2 months.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

At this fantastic Cape Cod wedding earlier this summer, we were treated to the most satisfying and easy to eat late-night dessert: the ice cream cookie sandwich.  I've been awaiting the perfect opportunity to make ice cream cookie sandwiches and finally did for a Labor Day BBQ at my parent's house in Palmer Lake.

I have made ice cream sandwiches in the past (Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches with Blueberry Swirl) but these were simpler and tastier.  The chocolate chip cookie recipe I used comes from Alexandra's Kitchen and is my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe.  These are delicious.  Make them!  Better yet, make a batch and freeze 3/4 of them in ready-to-go balls in your freezer so you can bake off amazing cookies on demand (unless, of course, your husband eats the dough balls periodically without you knowing....).

Back to the ice cream cookie sandwiches!  Due to time constraints and, let's face it, practicality, I used store-bought chocolate ice cream to fill my sandwiches.  I am sure these would be even better with homemade ice cream and next time I'll make a point to make them completely homemade.  After freezing the sandwiches, I put each one in a wax paper sandwich bag.  I ordered the plain bags before I discovered these bags with chevron stripes (love!) or these with bright stripes or dots were an option.  Next time, next time.  They were a huge hit and were ready to be served the day before the party.  The cookie sandwiches would be delicious served with vanilla, cookie dough, chocolate chip or sweet cream ice cream, too (the possible combinations are numerous).

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Yield = 16 ice cream sandwiches 

Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Alexandra's Kitchen
Yield = 32 cookies 

10¾ oz unsalted butter (1 1/3 cups)
10¼ oz light brown sugar (1½ cups packed)
7¾ oz granulated sugar (1 cup)
2 large eggs
1 T. pure vanilla extract
17 oz unbleached all-purpose flour (3¾ cups)
1¼ tsp table salt
1 tsp. baking soda
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl, beat again on high for one minute. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended, about another minute on medium-high speed. Whisk flour, salt and baking soda together in separate bowl. Add to butter mixture and combine with a spatula or wooden spoon until just blended. Add the chocolate chips and stir till combined. The dough will be stiff.

Portion into 32 small balls.  The original recipe calls for 1 3/4 oz balls, but I wanted to be sure to have an even number.  If you have a digital scale, you can use the 1 3/4 oz size as a guideline.  Otherwise, use a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon.  At this stage, you should chill the portioned balls for at least three hours prior to baking the cookies.  I was, unfortunately, in a bit of a rush, so I froze mine for 30 minutes and then baked them.  

Preheat oven to 375°.  Place portioned balls nicely spaced (they will spread) on a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper.  Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon.  Bake the cookies for 8-11 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through cooking.  Keep a close watch as you'll want to remove the cookies from the oven when they still look slightly raw—you will think you are removing them too early.  The cookies will continue cooking as they sit on the tray out of the oven.  Let sit for 5 minutes on tray before removing to a cooling rack, and let cool completely before assembling sandwiches.

Creating the Sandwiches

Once your cookies have cooled, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and ensure you have a place in your freezer to accommodate the baking sheet and the sandwiches that will be placed on it.  Scoop ice cream onto the flat side of a cookie -- I found the most effective way was to scrape a thin layer of ice cream, place it on the cookie and repeat.  I filled mine about 1/2 inch full of ice cream -- I've seen them filled with an inch of ice cream and it is really up to you.  I asked people at the BBQ and they felt that there was enough ice cream.  I'd estimate that it was about 3 tbsp of ice cream per cookie.  After you have covered the cookie with ice cream, place the flat side of another cookie on top, press slightly (but carefully) on the top of the cookie and place it on the baking sheet.

You must work quickly to assemble the sandwiches and it is best to work in batches - create 4-6 sandwiches (depending on how quickly they are melting) and transfer them to the freezer.  You don't want them melting too much or they'll lose their shape as the ice cream melts over the edge of the cookie.

Once you have filled all the cookie sandwiches, freeze for at least 30 minutes on the baking sheets and then transfer the sandwiches to the wax paper bag or wrap them in plastic wrap.  

Strawberry Ice Cream

Our weekly Door to Door Organics delivery arrived this week with a pint of strawberries on the same day that I saw a Saveur Magazine slideshow called "Summery Scoops: Ice Cream and Gelato". The temperature in Denver this past week has reached 90 degrees every day and just thinking about turning on the oven to bake something for dessert makes my appetite disappear and I begin dreaming of sitting next to a swimming pool. While strawberry isn't my go-to choice at an ice cream shop, I love the flavor, the chunks of icy strawberries and the pretty, pale pink color.

This is an extremely rich recipe (it is called ice CREAM for a reason) so be forewarned... this isn't like the Watermelon Granita that you can eat a large bowl of without guilt... but you will heartily enjoy and savor the spoonfuls of strawberry ice cream that you do have. 

Strawberry Ice Cream
Adapted (slightly) from Saveur Magazine 

Ingredients
1 1⁄2 cups whole milk
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
3⁄4 cup plus 1⁄6 cup sugar
1 1⁄4 cup heavy cream
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
Juice of 1⁄2 lemon

1. Place milk in the top of a double boiler and bring just to a simmer over gently boiling water over medium heat.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and 2/3 cup sugar in a mixing bowl. Lightly whisk 1/4 cup of the hot milk into egg mixture, then whisk egg mixture into remaining milk in top of double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is thick enough to coat back of a spoon, about 15 minutes.

3. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl; stir in heavy cream; refrigerate until cold.

4. Combine strawberries, 1/6 cup sugar, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

5. Slightly mash strawberries, then stir into cream base and pour into an ice cream maker. Process according to manufacturer's directions.  Using the ice cream attachment to the Kitchen Aid mixer, this took 15 minutes. I then put the ice cream in the freezer for an hour so that it was really set. You can tell from the photo above that it was still quite soft after I processed it in the ice cream bowl using the stand mixer.

Watermelon Granita

I have two favorite ice cream spots in Denver... one has superior flavors and better-tasting ice cream and a fun hipster vibe (that only occasionally makes me feel out-of-place and somewhat inadequate) and the other that has slightly-less-robust-but-still-awesome ice cream and a creative and fun location. On the occasion of my in-laws visiting, we had an opportunity to visit both and while the look of Little Man won out (see photos below), it was the taste of the watermelon sorbet at Sweet Action that really stole my heart.

In fact, I took home a pint of it because it was so tasty. Bad.

When I saw watermelons at Whole Foods yesterday (I can hear Rob tsk tsking as he reads this... not Whole Foods!), I bought a few and set about to making my own version of the tasty watermelon dessert. I wasn't smitten with any of the sorbet recipes but was inspired by the Watermelon Granita recipe in this month's Bon Appétit.

Granita is a semi-frozen dessert typically made from sugar, water and flavorings. Wikipedia tells me that granita originated in Sicily and that the texture of a granita will vary depending on where you have it in Italy. This version is frozen, stirred/scraped once and then frozen until solid, at which point it is scraped or shaved before serving. You could make it smoother by using an ice cream or gelato machine but I think part of the beauty of this recipe is its simplicity.

Putting the iPad to good use in the kitchenReady for the freezer - complemented by my new tea towel from Foxy & Winston

Blending!

If you've read any of my other dessert posts, you'll know that I prefer less sugar in my desserts than most people and this recipe is no exception. I find watermelon to be deliciously refreshing and sweet in its natural form so I cut the recommended sugar in half. Plus, I didn't have fresh limes so I was stuck with the pre-squeezed and bottled stuff that I keep on hand... I don't think it affected the final product at all. This recipe is also easy to double or triple (obviously you'll have to blend it in separate batches to accommodate the size of your blender) and would be perfect to make ahead and serve at a summer gathering.

 

Watermelon Granita
Adapted from the June 2011 Bon Appétit 

Ingredients

• 4 cups (1 3/4 pounds) cubed seedless watermelon (from a 4-lb. melon)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Preparation

Purée all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a 9x9x2" metal baking pan. Freeze mixture for 1 hour. Stir, mashing any frozen parts with the back of a fork. Cover and freeze mixture until firm, about 2 hours. Using a fork, scrape granita vigorously to form icy flakes. 

Could this be more simple?

DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover tightly and keep frozen. Give it a quick scrape before serving.

Stracciatella Gelato

Is there a more perfect food than ice cream?  I am using the term broadly.... gelato, frozen yogurt, sorbet, ice cream.... it is all so delicious.  The obsession started for me at a young age with our family's tradition of having ice cream, usually coffee or mint chocolate chip, for dessert.  Breyer's mint chocolate chip ice cream (which is white, not the scary green shade of many mint chocolate chip ice creams) is still one of my favorite ice cream flavors and I love that my parents always seem to have it in the freezer when I go home.  

So, imagine my delight when I saw this incredibly simple recipe for Stracciatella Gelato in this month's Bon Appétit.  I'm always amazed at how easy it is to make homemade ice cream and this recipe was no exception. You can even make the custard base for the gelato ahead of time and just put it into your ice cream maker just prior to serving.  

Stracciatella is from the Italian stracciato, which means "torn apart" and the gelato is most akin to chocolate chip ice cream.  The chunks/flakes of chocolate vary in size, however, because you melt the chocolate and stream it into the custard base, so it doesn't spread out uniformly.  This gelato is extremely rich and a few bites are satisfying.  Make it!  You'll love it.

Side note - as I mentioned in my post on Meyer Lemon Sorbet, I use the ice cream attachment for my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer for making ice cream and it works like a charm.  

Stracciatella Gelato
6 servings
Prep Time = 30 minutes
Total Time = 3 hours (with chilling and freezing time) 

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

3/4 cup sugar

5 large egg yolks

Pinch of kosher salt

1/2 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

2 tsp. vegetable oil 

Preparation

Place milk in a medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to a simmer, whisking often. Whisk sugar, yolks, and salt in a medium bowl until well blended, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into yolk mixture. Return to saucepan; stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and a thermometer registers 170°-175°, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Strain into a medium bowl. Stir in cream. Chill custard until cold, at least 2 hours.

Stir chocolate and oil in a small sauce-pan over low heat until melted; let cool.

Process custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Add the melted chocolate during the last 30 seconds of churning (chocolate will form small chips). Transfer to a bowl. Serve immediately. Freeze any remaining gelato.