Pumpkin cheesecake ice cream

David Lebovitz scooped me (pun intended!) *again* today with his pumpkin ice cream post!  But alas, I made pumpkin cheesecake ice cream.  So there, Lebovitz.  :-P

I have a BUNCH of fresh pumpkin puree sitting in my fridge from this past weekend when I finally got around to cutting up my uncarved Halloween pumpkins.  But, in my excitement at having fresh pumpkin puree around, I suddenly became hugely indecisive over what to do with it all!  Pumpkin pancakes, of course, but that hardly uses up any of the puree.  Also floating around on my list: pumpkin pie, caramel pumpkin pie, pumpkin mousse, pumpkin gnocchi, pumpkin ginger cookies, pumpkin bread, etc. etc. etc.  Oh boy--I was, quite honestly, overwhelmed.

And then, my boyfriend, Richard, just had to go and say, "oh, cheesecake sounds good."  (Cheesecake always sounds good to him.)  So I added *that* to my list: pumpkin cheesecake.

When it finally came time to actually start making something, I suddenly didn't feel like making a whole cheesecake.  Yet, I had all the ingredients for cheesecake on hand.  And then a stroke of lightning!  (this is often how my baking adventures begin--I wait to be hit by inspiration.  Whether or not this is the most efficient method of food preparation, I'm not quite sure, but it seems to work. :-) )

Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream

with Gingersnaps

Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream!  Yes!  It's like cheesecake--except better.  I have to say, this is probably one of the creamiest ice creams I've ever made, with the cream cheese lending the ice cream an incredibly smooth texture.  Imagine cheesecake, but frozen.  Yup.  It's that dense.

The pumpkin puree and spices typical of pumpkin pie make for a surprising flavor profile in the cheesecake ice cream.  And, I most definitely recommend serving this with whole or crushed up gingersnaps to mimic cheesecake crust.  It's like a whole pumpkin cheesecake--in a bowl!  :-D

(well, it was full. *innocent eyes*)

Read on for recipe...

Pumpkin cheesecake ice cream

adapted roughly from the cheesecake ice cream recipe in The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz
makes about 3 cups

(note: spice amounts are approximate--please spice to taste.)

7 oz cream cheese
3 oz fresh pumpkin puree, directions available in this post
zest of 1 lemon
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream (I prefer manufacturing cream, if you can find it.)
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tspn ground cinnamon
1/2 tspn ground ginger
1 tspn freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tspn allspice
1/4 tspn ground cloves

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Adjust the taste of the spices if necessary.
2. Chill mixture thoroughly in the fridge, then freeze it in your ice cream maker of choice. (Here's mine, which works like a dream, and I also have this one.)
3. Serve with whole or crushed gingersnaps.


Enjoy!