Pumpkin Gingersnap Ice Cream

Holidays in a Bowl

So....I found this MUST TRY recipe in Sunset Magazine and had to give it a whirl because I love pumpkin and my husband loves gingersnaps.  A match made in heaven if you ask me!  Both the ice cream and my husband & me!

Anyway, I made this delight on Halloween night.  I took one bite and immediately deemed this recipe a Carmalt Fall Tradition from this point forward.  Yes, it is THAT good.  

The creamy, cold pumpkin flavor is a pleasantly sweet reminder of all the goodness of fall and the crunch of ginger is a happy reminder of the approaching holiday season.  Who wouldn't want that?!?!?!

Trust me, you won't regret these calories...

Pumpkin Gingersnap Ice Cream
Serves 8 (makes 1 qt) / Time: 45 minutes plus 2 1/2 hrs to freeze 

  
Ingredients

• 1 C heavy whipping cream
• 1.5 C half and half
• 1 C packed light brown sugar
• 1 C Homemade Pumpkin puree
• 1 t ground ginger
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 C coarsely crushed gingersnaps  (*Note: harder cookies have more crunch and are better to use because the softer gingersnaps could potentially dissolve...and who doesn't love some crunch???)

Directions
1. Whisk all ingredients except gingersnaps in a bowl to blend.  Strain into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions

2. Scrape ice cream into a bowl and stir in gingersnaps. Freeze, covered until scoopable, 2 1/2 hrs and up to 1 wk (gingersnaps soften somewhat after one day, but it remains delicious regardless)

If you forgot how delicious it looked the first time...

Piece of Cake, Right?!?!   Well....no, it is actually a bowl of ice cream....  =) 

If you want to make Homemade Pumpkin Puree - 
(I used canned pumpkin, but for those adventurous type...)
 A 2 lb pumpkin makes 1 1/2-2 cups of puree, at least one hour
Cut a Sugar Pie pumpkin (or other deep orange-flesh squash) in half using a large heavy knife and a mallet to tap knife through flesh. Scoop out and discard seeds.  Rub inside of pumpkin with vegetable
oil.  Set pumpkin cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake in a 375 degree oven until very soft when pierced, 45-75 minutes. Scoop flesh into a food processsor; whirl until smooth.  If puree is watery drain in a strainer 30 minutes.

Bon Appetit! 
REALLY - YOU NEED TO TRY THIS.

I scream, You scream, We all scream for LAVENDER ICE CREAM!!

During my first wedding shower, Lucas and I were lucky enough to receive an ice cream maker just in time for the heat of the summer.  After perusing some recipes on foodgawker, I came across an idea I knew I was going to have to try immediately...Lavender Ice Cream.  I first came across lavender used in the food and beverage world in a tea latte that included agave, lavender and steamed milk.  It was Delicious...so I knew a lavender ice cream would be equally satisfying.

Lavender has a sweet, floral aroma and is often used in desserts or potpourri.  The pack of spices I had also said it can add an interesting flavor in vinaigrette dressings and marinades and works well in spice rubs on chicken and pork.  I definitely plan on trying those in the near future since the ice cream turned out so well!  

This recipe is extremely easy and you can make it even if you don't have an ice cream maker!  Try it out and let me know what you think!

Lavender Ice Cream

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups half and half
• 3.5 t lavender  (*Note - you can use as little as 2t and as much as 4t depending on how intense you want the lavender flavor to be)
• 1/2 Cup sugar
• 1/3 Cup honey  (*Note - you can use double the sugar or double the honey and omit the other ingredient if you prefer one to the other.  The original recipe calls for 1 Cup Sugar or 2/3 Cup honey, but we decided to use half of each)

Instructions:

• Heat the whipping cream, half and half, and lavender in a pot and bring to a simmer.
• Remove from heat and allow to steep for 1 hour or until cooled.

• Pour through a very fine strainer into a separate bowl and place in the fridge until completely cooled.  *Note - the mixture needs to be COLD prior to moving on to next steps.  I made the mistake of transferring it to the ice cream maker too soon, so it took much longer to freeze.
• Once cold, remove from fridge and mix in sugar and/or honey.  Transfer to the ice cream maker and freeze according to manufactures instructions.  If you aren't using an ice cream maker, transfer to an air tight container and place in the freezer until frozen.

• Once it is frozen to your liking, remove from the freezer, add toppings if you prefer and enjoy!

Topping recommendations:

• Dark chocolate chips would add a nice contrast to the sweet floral flavor of the lavender
• Berries would compliment the sweetness of the lavender and cream
• To make a delicious topping, add frozen or fresh blueberries to a sauce pan with honey, and heat until the juices from the berries become syrupy.

Bon Appetit!

Roasted Balsamic Strawberries

Coincidentally, my first two gourmet posts fall into the dessert category although I hardly make dessert despite the presence of a very sweet, sweet tooth.  Eitherway, the Roasted Balsamic Strawberries recipe below is something I first made a few months ago, but I fell in love with it all over again last night.

We had some strawberries in our fridge that were going to go bad and after a long day of homebrewing and rearranging the kitchen, a light and creamy dessert sounded amazing (plus, it is VERY simple).  This is the perfect dessert for a hot summer evening.

This recipe comes from the The World Kitchen cookbook from Williams-Sonoma and it has wonderful meals arranged by region of the world...French, Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, and so on.  Since Italians know a thing or two about good food, it is no surprise that this dessert is included in the Italian section of the cookbook.  Enjoy!

Roasted Balsamic Strawberries
- 1 lb. ripe strawberries (quartered with stems removed)
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 T Balsamic Vinegar (*next time I think I would add a bit more balsamic)
- 2 T butter or margarine (*I only used half the butter and it was still incredible...)
- 2 T Brown Sugar (*I used about 1/2 T sprinkled on top and it was plenty delicious and sweet)
- Plain or Vanilla Greek Yogurt, or vanilla frozen yogurt, gelato or ice cream

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine the strawberries, pepper (about 1/2 tsp), and balsamic vinegar in a bowl and toss to coat.  Let sit 20 minutes so the strawberries can soak in the sweet and spicy flavors of balsamic and pepper.
3. Place the butter in a small shallow baking dish (but large enough that the strawberries can fit in a single layer) and place the baking dish in the oven.  Watch closely to prevent burning and remove the dish from the oven once the butter is completely melted.  Tilt dish to coat with butter.
4. Scoop the strawberries (with remaining juices) into the baking dish and top with a sprinkling of brown sugar.  The recipe calls for 2T, but with sugar toppings I feel like the cook should decide the appropriate amount!  Toss gently to coat and then place in oven.
5. Roast strawberries for 25 minutes or until the strawberries are soft and the liquid is syrupy.
6. Let berries cool slightly (about 5 minutes) and serve over yogurt or ice cream.  Enjoy immediately so the ice cream doesn't completely melt!

The sweetness of the strawberries, the tart taste of the balsamic and the spiciness of the pepper creates a flavor that will have your taste buds screaming for more!  Plus, the combination of a sweet warm sauce over a cold creamy texture makes the dish perfect!

I was so excited I took a few bites before snapping this photo...

Heaven in a bowl!

I hope you enjoy this dessert as much as I do!

Bon Appetit!