Frosty Pumpkin Pie

(updated 11/14/2008) Note to Vegans/Non-Dairy Folk: The “bittersweet blog” has a vegan pumpkin pie ice recipe with coconut milk that sounds simply wonderful. Instead of mix-ins, you freeze this mixture in an ice cream maker. You could also use soy milk ice cream in the recipe below.

1 quart (4 c) vanilla ice cream
15 oz can plain pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 graham cracker pie crusts

Let ice cream stand at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes to soften.

Stir together pumpkin, sugar, salt, and spices. Stir in ice cream. Mix well. Spread in prepared pie shells. Sprinkle reserved crumbs on top.

Freeze the pie for at least 2 hours or until top of mixture is firm (can make and freeze up to 2 weeks before serving). Let stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Jamaican Jerk Spice variation
Use 1 quart butter pecan ice cream with same amounts of pumpkin and sugar; spices are 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Dry Jerk Seasoning, finely ground; 1/2 tsp imitation rum extract, and 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Source: Betty Crocker Thanksgiving, November 2005 (modified); Jamaican version from http://www.islandspice.com

Easy Blender Margaritas

Revised 9/17/2011. Cook’s notes: 12 oz of tequila is about 355 ml, so a 750-ml bottle will make two batches of margaritas. Makes at least 40 oz (at least 5 cups). This is quite a potent drink!

Alternate prep method: Omit the ice until the end. Blend all other ingredients, then add half ice and half water to fill up the blender to the top. Blend again.

A blender full of margaritas...takes just a few minutes

2 cups ice cubes
12 oz can frozen limeade concentrate
12 oz gold tequila (you can use the empty limeade can to measure)
4 oz Triple Sec (orange liqueur)
2 oz orange juice
6 oz fresh lime juice
Coarse kosher salt for the glasses

Place ice, limeade, tequila, Triple Sec, orange juice, and lime juice in blender. Blend on HIGH (use the Ice Crusher function) until the mixture is slushy, about 1 minute. Keep mixture cold in refrigerator until serving time.

To serve, wet the rim of a glass. Dip the glass rim into a shallow saucer of kosher salt. Pour chilled margarita into glass. Serves 6 to 12.

Do-Ahead Note: You can pour the slushy mixture into a zipper-top plastic bag (gallon size, heavy duty) and freeze it for up to 6 months. Defrost before serving.

Virgin Variation: To make a virgin margarita, omit the tequila and Triple sec. Add 6 oz lemonade concentrate and 4 oz orange juice instead.

Source: Diane Phillips, Perfect Party Food: All the Recipes and Tips You’ll Ever Need for Stress-Free Entertaining from the Diva of Do-Ahead

Almond Ice Cream

Cook’s Notes: The warm almond custard is simply heavenly. Bruce Weinstein is a genius of ice cream. His book had many wonderful ideas and recipes.

2 c whole milk
7 oz almond paste
2/3 c granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 c heavy cream

Bring whole milk to 175 degrees in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, use an electric stand mixer to beat the almond paste with the sugar until well combined. Beat in eggs one at time until mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes.

Slowly beat 1/2 c hot milk from pan into yolk mixture to temper the eggs. Pour this mixture back into saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook this mixture over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until custard reaches 175°F on a thermometer and coats the back of a spoon. Custard is thick enough when a line drawn through it on the back of a spoon holds for several seconds.

Remove saucepan from heat; strain custard into a plastic bowl with a lid. Whisk in almond extract and heavy cream.

Cool custard to room temperature. Seal container and refrigerate until custard is cold, about 4 to 8 hours.

Pour into an ice cream machine and freeze as directed.

Recipe Sources:

The Ultimate Ice Cream Book by Bruce Weinstein
Joy of Cooking, 75th Anniversary Edition (2006)
Cook’s Illustrated, 7/1993

Best Recipe: Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

Cook’s Notes: This week is all about comfort food. One of my best friends is fighting cancer, and we’re on her care team. Nothing says comfort like dark chocolate ice cream, made from scratch with a homemade custard. Be sure to use fine quality dark chocolate: I’ve made this ice cream with both Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate (6 squares of a 100 g bar or 60 g) and Hershey’s 65% Cacao Reserve Extra Dark Chocolate (2 x 1.3 oz bars or 72 g). Both versions are superb.

2 c whole milk
3/4 c granulated sugar, plus 2 T (divided)
4 large egg yolks
1/3 c unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 to 3 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 c heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Bring whole milk and 1/4 c plus 2 T sugar to 175 degrees in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Meanwhile, use an electric stand mixer to beat remaining 1/2 c sugar with yolks until mixture turns pale yellow and thickens so that it falls in ribbons, about 2 minutes. Beat in cocoa powder until mixture is smooth.

Slowly beat 1/2 c hot milk from pan into yolk mixture. Pour this mixture back into saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook this mixture over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until custard reaches 175°F on a thermometer and coats the back of a spoon. Custard is thick enough when a line drawn through it on the back of a spoon holds for several seconds.

Remove saucepan from heat; strain custard into a plastic bowl with a lid. Add chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate to the hot custard and stir constantly until chocolate melts. Whisk in heavy cream and vanilla.

Cool custard to room temperature. Seal container and refrigerate until custard is cold, about 4 to 8 hours.

Pour into an ice cream machine and freeze as directed. Makes 1.25 quarts (5 cups)

Recipe sources:

Joy of Cooking, 75th Anniversary Edition (2006)
Cook’s Illustrated, 7/1993

Note: The two recipes are almost identical. However, The Joy of Cooking recommends less sugar, 3/4 c sugar total: 1/2 c sugar with the milk and 1/4 c sugar with the egg yolks. Cook’s Illustrated adds 2 additional egg yolks.