Pumpkin Ice Cream Numero Dos

Another great find from Our Best Bites: pumpkin spice ice cream sandwiches. Find the recipe right here.

Cookies

Follow instructions for Cake Mix cookies, using a "Spice Cake" flavored mix. Use a cookie scoop so you make sure to get uniform cookies. Before cooking, use the bottom of a glass sprayed with cooking spray to flatten the cookies (they'll be better frozen if you flatten them). Under cook them. This is important! You want them very soft, otherwise they'll get rock hard in the freezer. Cold crunchy cookies are not good. Frozen, soft, doughy cookies? Good.


Easy Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream (no-cook!)

2 C Heavy Cream
1 C Whole Milk
1 C canned pumpkin
2 t vanilla extract
3/4 C Brown Sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/8 t ground ginger
1/8 t nutmeg

1. Make sure all liquid ingredients are very cold.

2. Place brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine. (Doing this helps the spices to distribute better in the mixture). Add cream, milk, pumpkin, and vanilla. Stir with a whisk until the brown sugar is dissolved.

If you have time, chill the mixture for a few hours in the fridge before putting in your ice cream maker. If you don't have time, make it right now. Process according to the manufacturers instructions. When finished, transfer to an airtight container and place in freezer to firm up.

The perfect ice cream sandwich needs to have the perfect balance of the perfect consistency of both the cookie and the ice cream.

Making these ahead takes a little more effort, but the extra steps help with a great finished product.

1. Make your cookies. The most important step is to under cook the cookies. More undercooked than you think you want them. Even if they're "doughy" they'll be a great consistency when frozen. Cook them so they're just done around the edges.

2. Let them cool completely and then pop them in the freezer for a bit to help them firm up. This way, they won't fall apart when you're smashing your sandwiches together.

3. Make your ice cream and place it in the freezer to harden. Don't let it freeze all the way, just a couple of hours or until it's a good scooping consistency, but still soft enough to smash. And if you do end up freezing your ice cream all the way, that's really okay too. Just let it sit at room temp until it's soft enough to scoop.

4. Take your cookies and place a spoonful of jarred caramel sauce on each cookie. Don't spread it around. It will spread on its own when you smash the cookie together.

5. Use a cookie scooper to get nice, even sized ice cream scoops. Place another cookie on top (you can caramel both sides, or just one- up to you.)

6. Place on a plate/cookie sheet/whatever in a single layer and place in the freezer immediately. If you're making a bunch of sandwiches, put them in the freezer as you go so they don't melt on your counter! Wait until they harden completely (overnight) before putting them in an air tight container or Ziploc bag.

When you want to eat them, just let them sit at room temp for about 5 minutes to let them soften a bit and they'll be perfect!

{Photo and recipe from Our Best Bites.}

English Toffee

Last week, my cute friend brought me some English toffee as a thank you and it was diving. Chocolate + toffee = the way to my heart. Today I'm attempting to make my own for the first time ever. Usually I wait until my grandmother makes it for me, but I can't wait. So I'm searching for recipes, and I'm starting with this one from Recipe Zaar. If you have a great recipe, please send it my way.

Ingredients
1 lb butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup white corn syrup
1 cup finely chopped nuts
1 large Hershey Bar, grated

Directions
1. Butter a cookie sheet, grate Hershey bar, chop nuts until fine.
2. Cover cookie sheet with nuts, then grated chocolate and set aside.
3. Combine butter, sugar, water, and syrup in heavy pan and bring to a boil.
4. Cook to hard ball stage (280* F.).
5. Pour on prepared cookie sheet and cover with remaining nuts and grated bar.
6. Cool.
7. Break into pieces when cold.

Festive tortellini

Ingredients:
Barilla Tortellini, in two delicious flavors: Cheese & Spinach Tortellini & Three Cheese Tortellini
Classico Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo
Green Pepper in thin slices or minced
Sweet Grape Tomatoes halved (I will be leaving these out)
Shallots minced
Fresh minced garlic to taste
Fresh basil for garnish
Olive oil in spray container

Prepare pasta according to directions. Add green peppers to a separate pan and spray with olive oil. Saute till tender. Then add in halved grape tomatoes. Saute until tomato edges have barely begun to yellow. Add to drained pasta. Add Alfredo sauce and fresh garlic to taste. Serve with minced shallots and basil leaf as garnish.

Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart

My sister-in-law sent me this scrumptious looking recipe. I love pumpkin, and I'm always excited to find new tried-and-true recipes that use it. And since this one is from Ina Garten, I'm positive it will be delicious.


Ingredients
For the crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (14 crackers)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 extra-large egg yolks
1 package (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1 ripe banana, finely mashed
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar

For the decoration:
1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Orange zest, optional

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl and mix well. Pour into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press evenly into the sides and then the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes and then cool to room temperature.
3. For the filling, heat the half-and-half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until hot, about 5 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl, stir some of the hot pumpkin into the egg yolks to heat them, then pour the egg-pumpkin mixture back into the double boiler and stir well. Heat the mixture over the simmering water for another 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly. You don't want the eggs to scramble. Remove from the heat.
4. Dissolve the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Add the dissolved gelatin, banana, and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool.
5. Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture and pour it into the cooled tart shell. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
6. For the decoration, whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream decoratively on the tart and sprinkle, if desired, with orange zest. Serve chilled.

Pumpkin Crème Brûlée

I LOVE pumpkin and I'm always so delighted when it's in vogue during the autumn season. This weekend we'll be trying this pumpkin crème brûlée recipe via Kelsey Nixon. Be sure to get your pumpkin now. There's a shortage you know.

Yield: 6 servings

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon vanilla*
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 cup pumpkin puree
4 teaspoons sugar
*vanilla bean paste preferred

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium saucepan, combine the cream and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until frothy. Slowly add 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture, whisking constantly. Add the egg mixture to the remaining hot cream and whisk. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin and whisk until smooth. Divide among the prepared ramekins.

Add enough simmering hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Bake until the custards are just set in the center but not stiff, 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Sprinkle each custard with 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining sugar. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar. If you don't have a torch, preheat the broiler, and broil until the sugar melts and caramelizes, watching closely to avoid burning; about 1-2 minutes

French breakfast puffs

Ree Drummon, aka The Pioneer Woman, has a fabulous new cookbook out, and I want it. I hear she is signing them at The King's English bookstore in Salt Lake. Does anyone have details? Until I can get my paws on the cookbook, I will happily make these French breakfast puffs. Because they are associated with France and they are rolled in cinnamon and sugar. Really, did I need to explain that? Plus, her directions are laugh-out-loud hilarious. Trust me. Read them here.

Begin by stirring together 3 cups of flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teasoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer (not necessary, but makes it easier) combine 2/3 cup of shortening and one cup of sugar.

Mix to combine, then add 2 eggs and mix again. Add flour mixture and 1 cup of milk alternately to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.

Lightly grease a muffin tin with butter or Baker's Joy.

Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full, then bake in a 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.

In a glass container, melt 2 sticks of regular butter. In another container, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar with 3 teaspoons of cinnamon. Stir to combine. Roll a muffin around in the melted butter. Don’t rush this step; give each muffin a good 20-30 seconds in the butter. You want the butter to begin to seep into the top layer of the muffin. After the muffin has been adequately bathed in butter, begin rolling the muffin in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Individual baked Alaskas

I have always wanted to try Baked Alaska, so I was thrilled when Karly shared this recipe with me, from Williams-Sonoma.

1/4 c. water

3/4 c. sugar

6 slices purchased almond or plain pound cake, each 1/2" thick

2 c. cherry ice cream

2 c. pistachio ice cream

3 large egg whites

1/4 t. cream of tartar

In a small, heavy saucepan combine water and 1/4 c. sugar. Bring to boil over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear, about 1 minute. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Arrange 6-fl oz custard cups on a work surface. Trim each pound cake slice so that it fits into a cup and reserve the trimmings. (The slices must cover the bottoms fully.) Using your fingers, crumble the trimmings into coarse crumbs.

Brush the cake layers with the cooled syrup. Spoon about 1/3 c. ice cream into each custard cup, and press firmly to cover the cake and fill the cup. Smooth the top and sprinkle with cake crumbs, then press to adhere. Set the cups on a baking sheet, cover, and freeze them until firm, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed or a wire whisk, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Remove the cups from the freezer. Spoon the meringue over the top of each cup, covering the top completely and swirling the meringue into a high dome.

Return the custard cup to the baking sheet and bake until the meringue is lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Serve at once.