With the end of summer looming just a few days away, it’s the time of year that our thoughts about food turn to comfort. One of the most comforting desserts is the ice cream sandwich; loved by young and old alike. The sensation of biting into a rich delicious cookie, then the creamy coolness of ice cream…can’t be beat! Our twist? We’ve combined a delicious ginger cookie with an ice cream made by the most recognized fruit of the season; pumpkin. And yes, pumpkin is a fruit…look it up!
Check out this recipe, courtesy of Jane Knauf, the lovely GM and co-owner of The Wooden Table. And please let us know what you think!
Jane’s Ginger Cookie & Pumpkin Ice Cream Sandwiches
Ingredients:
Ginger Cookies
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, and then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
Bake for 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Pumpkin Ice Cream
- 1 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 5 egg yolks
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ tsp. salt
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tbsp. bourbon
In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours.
In a heavy 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 ½ cups of the cream and 1/3 cup of the brown sugar. Cook until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the egg yolks, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, the remaining ½ cup cream and the remaining ¼ cup brown sugar. Whisk until smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve.
Remove the cream mixture from the heat. Gradually whisk about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture until smooth. Pour the egg mixture back into the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and keeping the custard at a low simmer, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 4 to6 minutes. Do not allow the custard to boil. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
Place the bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice water, stirring occasionally until cool. Whisk the pumpkin mixture into the custard. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add the bourbon during the last minute of churning. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze till solid.
Scoop some of the ice cream onto one of the ginger cookies. Top with another cookie, and ENJOY!
Soigneé Elegant Attire is our neighbor to the west. Filled with everything for the stylish woman, Soignee apparel is of the highest quality. Owner Diane Lessnau has been a wonderful supporter since day one, and has become a great friend of The Wooden Table. With the holiday season approaching, it’s time to think about the perfect holiday party frock…and Soignee can help.
November 10, 2011
Emphasis Marketing & Communications
