Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

For many years as I child I loathed pumpkin pie.  I would not touch a slice.  I was convinced that nothing good could come from a pie made with a vegetable.  Oh I would eat pie - apple pie, chocolate pie, shoofly pie.  But not a forkful of pumpkin pie.  Finally one day in my teens I decided to take a bite...and then I promptly hit myself.  Seriously?  I was a making a fuss over this?  I loved it.  Ever since pumpkin pie has been one of my favorites. 

Now that fall weather has finally arrived, I figured it is a better time than any to make a pumpkin pie. Or pumpkin pie ice cream!  Pumpkin pie doesn't need to wait until Thanksgiving.  I start cooking and baking with pumpkin as soon as October rolls around.  Pumpkin pie ice cream (just like the pie) is sweet, spicy, and satisfying.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Adapted from recipe in Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home

Rather than settle for an ice cream that tastes like pumpkin pie filling, I added pieces of pie crust to the recipe to give the ice cream some crunch and make it more like a pie experience. You could easily use this ice cream to make a frozen pie.  To do so, make the ice cream base, churn, scoop into a prepared crust and freeze.  Simple!  If you need more instructions, check out my post on Key Lime Ice Cream Pie.

2 cups whole milk
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 ½ ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup honey
1 ¼ cup heavy cream
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 pie crust, baked and broken into small pieces

Fill a large bowl with ice water.  In a small bowl, mix 2 Tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch.  In another large bowl, whisk the cream cheese and salt.  Add pumpkin puree and honey and whisk until smooth.

Combine the remaining milk with heavy cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, and spices in a large saucepan.  Bring milk mixture to a boil.  Cook over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves, 4 minutes (must be exact for correct consistency). 

Remove from heat and off the heat, gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture.  Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened (draw a line on a spoon), about 1 minute.   Gradually pour the hot milk mixture into the pumpkin mixture and whisk until smooth.  Set the bowl in the ice water bath, and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 20 minutes.

Once chilled, pour ice cream base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Sprinkle a layer of pie crust pieces on the bottom of a plastic ice cream container.  Lightly spoon a layer of ice cream on top.  Continue to alternate layers of pie crust pieces and ice cream until the container is full.  Sprinkle a few more pieces on top (you may not use the entire pie crust, save for later).  Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.