Thanksgiving is here. If you have some leftover pumpkin puree, you may use it in this pumpkin spice ice cream. I think it will go well with fruit pies. And it’s perfect to serve as a dessert for the brunch(es) you will probably host during Thanksgiving long weekend or around Christmas. On top of that, it is refined sugar free, we used maple syrup instead. Maple syrup has various antioxidant properties, and contain minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus sodium, potassium, and zinc, also some vitamins like thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6. Maple syrup has a lower glycemic index too. So it is a healthier version of sweetener than refined sugar. Taste wise, maple syrup works really well with pumpkin flavor.

This ice cream is super easy to make. This recipe is straightforward. Just put egg yolks, cream, milk, maple syrup, salt, and spices in a pot and start to cook the mixture until it reaches a custard consistency. Turn off the heat. Cool the custard down to 40Fº/4Cº, and whisk in the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. You can make the ice cream using an ice cream machine, or without one using the method explained below.

Yes, you heard me right, put everything in the pot to cook except the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. In my recipe, you DO NOT need to heat the dairy first, then temper the eggs. You know I’m all about avoiding unnecessary steps. And if I can use one less pot/bowl (so one less to wash), I will.

Let me explain.

Why don’t we need to temper the eggs?

Because there is no need to heat the dairy without eggs yolks.

1. We don’t need to pasteurize the dairy by scalding, except if you are using raw dairy. The dairy products you buy from the grocery store have already gone through this heating and pasteurizing step before leaving the factories.
2. We do not need to heat the dairy to simmer to infuse any flavor from natural beans or herbs (vanilla, coffee, mint, etc..) in this recipe. We’ll add pumpkin puree at the end since it is already cooked.

So just dump everything in the pot and start making the custard. Read this article from Serious Eats if you are still not convinced.

Since my recipe is basically an egg-based custard ice cream with added pumpkin puree and spices for flavor, the most important step is to get the custard right, while avoiding this most common mistake: lumpy texture, result from overcooked egg yolks in ice cream custard.

How to avoid curdled egg yolks?

Go slow and low, and whisk frequently to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the custard as it cooks.

The egg yolks not only contribute to ice cream’s creamy, rich flavor, but they are also the tracking agent. During cooking, the proteins in the egg yolks coagulate, providing texture and structure to the ice creams. At 158Fº/70Cº, egg yolks alone will set. But when they are diluted with ingredients as cream and milk, they won’t clump until 170Fº/77Cº. So if you don’t want scrambled eggs or sweet egg soup, you should keep the mixture below this temperature. Stirring will prevent hot spots that will overcook part of mixture and produce curdles eggs.

My custard still ends up with small lumps, can it be saved?

Yes. If you suspect you may overcook and the mixture has a few lumps here and there,  you can use a mesh strainer to strain bits of curdled egg out. If the whole custard seems grainy, you can use a blender or food processor to break the lumps. Some recipes call for straining no matter what. I don’t think it’s necessary if the finished custard looks smooth.

What if I don’t have an ice cream machine?

You can also use the break-the-ice-every-30-minutes method, pour the chilled ice cream mixture into a shallow metal baking pan. An 8 or 9-inch square cake pan would be great, so there is more surface area exposed to cold air. Put the pan in the freezer. Check every 30 minutes, break up any frozen sections using a whisk. You need to whisk vigorously to prevent the formation of ice crystals and add air to the ice cream. This method can work pretty well with custard-based ice cream like this one. But if you plan to make ice cream more than a few times a year, or you like to make fruit sorbets (with more water content), I definitely recommend to get a basic ice cream maker, when they normally go on sales at the beginner of summer.

I’ll eat ice cream any time of the year as special treats, especially if it’s homemade. Since I’ve shown you how to avoid all unnecessary steps, and pay attention only to the keys to make a successful ice cream, don’t hesitate to give it a try. It may be chilly outside, but since it’s holiday season, with all the baking/cooking going on, we are always cozy inside. :-). You can serve this ice cream with some cranberry sauce, the acidity adds an interesting balance to the pumpkin ice cream.

So what are you waiting for? Dig in!

If you happen to try this recipe and take a picture I would love to see it. Tag #simpleindeedtaste in Instagram.

Have a nice Thanksgiving!