This pumpkin ice cream recipe will get you ready for fall. The rich ice cream custard mixed with the pumpkin and pumpkin spices is perfect for fall. The pumpkin flavor takes me back to when I was so excited for fall and halloween to come! When I was young, my family and I used a hand churn ice cream maker. It took a long time but it was worth it. Today, we have home machines that do the churning for us. This recipe is for those home machines. I have a Kitchen Aid ice cream maker attachment for my mixer. One of the best presents I ever received.
Tempering the egg yolks
The yolks need to be in another bowl with enough room for the egg yolks and some of the cream mixture. In a medium saute pan (or something close to it) over medium heat, bring the sugar, cream, half and half, and salt to about 160 degrees F. Make sure you are whisking the mixture as it heats. When heated, pour about 1/3 of the cream mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks. Make sure you are whisking the egg yolks as you are pouring. The point of tempering is to not scramble the eggs when combining with the hot milk mixture. Slowly adding the milk mixture and whisking as you add it will bring you success. Next, pour the tempered eggs back into the cream mixture and keep whisking.
Adding the pumpkin and spices
Next, add the pumpkin puree and the pumpkin pie spice to the mixture. Mix as you add it so the pumpkin pie spice does not get clumpy. Keep whisking until the mixture gets thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Then take the mixture off the heat and add the vanilla. Even at this point it tastes amazing.
Cooling and covering the custard
The pumpkin ice cream custard needs to cool. Let the mixture cool to the touch. Then take a piece of plastic wrap and set it on the surface of the custard. This keeps the custard from forming a “skin”. Set the covered custard in the fridge for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, before making the ice cream. Then follow the directions provided by your ice cream maker manufacturer.
I am sure your family will enjoy the pumpkin pie ice cream recipe! Bananas foster ice cream is another recipe to try!
Pumpkin Ice Cream Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Ice Cream Machine
- 1 medium saute pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup half and half
- ¾ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon of fine sea salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- In a medium saute pan combine sugar, whipping cream, half and half, and salt.
- Over medium heat whisk the milk mixture until the sugar dissolves and is hot to the touch. Around 160 degrees.
- Whisking as you are pouring, pour about ⅓ of the milk mixture into a separate bowl with the beaten egg yolks. This is tempering the egg mixture.
- Then pour tempered egg mixture back into the pan with the milk mixture and continue whisking.
- Add the pumpkin puree and the pumpkin pie spice
- Whisk mixture over medium heat until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
- Once cooled place a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of custard to avoid a “skin” forming.
- Place in the fridge and cool overnight or for at least 3 hours. Then follow the directions provided by your ice cream maker manufacturer.