Pumpkin Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream, divided
• 1 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 tsp unsulfured molasses
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh pumpkin puree or canned unsweetened pumpkin puree, chilled at least 3 hours
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

Directions

1. Set a medium saucepan over medium heat and add 1/2 cup heavy cream, the whole milk, and the molasses. Warm it until it is just shy of boiling, 5 – 8 minutes, then turn the heat down to low. While that is heating, whisk the yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla, and the remaining 1/2 cup cream until the color lightens and the mixture gets a little airy, about 1 minute.
2. Scoop 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks and stir to bring them together gently. Slowly pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the warm milk, stirring the whole time so the eggs stay smooth. Keep cooking over medium-low heat, still stirring, until the custard leaves a coating on the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 – 6 minutes. Don’t let it boil.
3. Pour the custard into a large bowl. Lay wax paper or plastic wrap right against the top of the custard so it doesn’t form a skin. Let it cool all the way, either in the refrigerator or over an ice bath for 40 minutes.
4. When the custard is cool, stir in the pumpkin puree. Push the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into another large bowl. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, stirring to combine. Pour it into an ice cream maker and freeze it following the manufacturer’s directions. Move the ice cream into an airtight container and freeze at least 3 hours, until firm.