Roasted Pumpkin Ice Cream with Hazelnuts

On the one hand there’s ice cream, and on the other, homemade ice cream. The difference can be vast, especially if you follow recipes as delicious as the one Eva brings us today, author of Bake-Street: this roasted pumpkin ice cream with hazelnuts is truly irresistible, and it's also quite intriguing, since few would guess from its flavor that it's made from roasted pumpkin. Try it, believe me!

If there’s one thing I like to make in summer, it’s ice cream. Well, the rest of the year too, but around this time it seems much more tempting. At home we eat a lot of it, and this lets me try many recipes like this Roasted pumpkin ice cream with hazelnuts.

I have to admit that at home it wasn’t greeted with much enthusiasm—until they tried it. The flavor and texture are very surprising because you would never imagine it's made with pumpkin.

To prepare it We will need to roast the pumpkin beforehand, the way you usually do at home. That said, do not use oil, salt, or pepper on it. Roast it plain and in pieces, so the cooking time is shorter. The amount I specify in the recipe is for cleaned pumpkin, without seeds or skin.

To decorate the ice cream, I thought of using its own squash blossom but crystallized. In this way, we will achieve a very attractive presentation with a flower that we can eat, adding a crunchy and sweet touch.

KitchenAid Artisan with KitchenAid refrigerator accessory and Fleur de Ligne bowl by Tokyo Design

You'll see that among the ingredients we will need to use inverted sugar. You might be wondering: what is it?

El inverted sugar is the decomposition by hydrolysis of sucrose into glucose and fructose; that is, through the process of hydrolysis sucrose is divided into two subunits.

And why do I need to add it to ice cream?

Inverted sugar has an anti-crystallizing effect, which means it hinders sugar crystallization. It yields a much creamier, smoother result; without it, you may find small ice crystals.

Another aspect you should keep in mind is that Inverted sugar sweetens 33% more than regular sugar, so don't overuse it.

Can it be done at home?

Of course—it’s also very simple and can be kept in a cool, dry place for months. Below you’ll find how to make it at home.

Can inverted sugar be substituted with another ingredient?

Yes. If you don't feel like making it, you can use Golden Syrup or honey instead. Keep in mind that the latter will add its distinct flavor, so if you don't like honey, choose another ingredient.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE ROASTED PUMPKIN ICE CREAM:

• 180gr of cleaned roasted pumpkin
• 390gr of whole milk
• 270gr of whipping cream
• 4 large egg yolks
• 105gr of dark muscovado sugar
• 30gr of invert sugar (recipe below)
• 45gr of mascarpone cheese
• pinch of salt
• 60gr of roasted hazelnuts

FOR THE INVERT SUGAR:

• 350gr of granulated sugar
• 150gr of water
• 5ml of lemon juice
• 5gr of sodium bicarbonate

FOR CRYSTALLIZED FLOWERS:

• squash blossoms
• 1 egg white
• fine-grain white sugar

KitchenAid refrigerator accessory

PRODUCTION

How to make inverted sugar:

1. In a saucepan, add the water along with the sugar and lemon juice, mix well with the rods.
2. We set it to medium heat and leave it until it reaches the 100º C, we will use a digital thermometer.
3. Once it reaches that temperature, we remove it from the heat and let it cool at room temperature until it reaches approximately 50º C.
4. At that point, add the baking soda and mix until completely dissolved.
5. We let cool completely to ambient temperature.
6. After cooling, we will notice that a whitish layer has formed on the surface. Remove it with a spoon and pour the inverted sugar into a airtight container.
7. We can store it in a dark, cool, and dry place.

We prepare the roasted pumpkin ice cream:

1. In a wide pot we add the milk along with the chopped roasted pumpkin, the cream, and the inverted sugar. Place over medium heat and leave until it begins to steam without bringing to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the yolks together with the muscovado sugar and salt. Use a whisk to make the mixture uniform.
3. Once the cream mixture has come up to temperature, we remove it from the heat and pass the blender to obtain a fine, smooth cream.
4. Using a ladle, add a small amount to the bowl with the yolks and beat quickly using a whisk. This process is called tempered and it helps to gently and gradually transfer heat to the yolks and prevent them from coagulating.
5. Gradually add the remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated into the yolks.
6. Pour it back into the pot, set over medium heat, and, without stopping, stir with the rods, we leave it until it reaches the 80º-85ºC. We will notice that the mixture thickens slightly, and when we insert a wooden spoon, we will observe that the mixture creates a layer on the spoon called tablecloth.
7. We remove the mixture from the heat.
8. Add the mascarpone cheese and mix with a whisk until fully dissolved.
9. We pass the mixture through a strainer, pour into a container/Tupperware and let it cool completely.
10. Once it has cooled, we cover it with plastic wrap or its own lid and place it in the refrigerator throughout the night.

We churn the ice cream:

1. We pour the mixture into the KitchenAid refrigerator and let it churn for 15-20 minutes, the ice cream base should thicken.
2. Without stopping the ice cream maker, add the chopped hazelnuts and let it run for 1 minute so they distribute evenly.
3. Once it's ready, we pour the ice cream into a airtight container and we put in the freezer a minimum of 6 hours or until the next day.

We prepare the crystallized squash blossoms:

1. Very carefully, we open the petals and remove the pistil. We can cut it flush with the flower’s calyx, but without cutting the calyx itself or the sepals. We will also keep a small part of the stem uncut.
2. We wash the flowers, inside and out, very carefully, and dry them with paper towels.
3. Lightly beat 1 egg white and set aside.
4. We pour sugar into a bowl. We prepare a grid where we will let the flowers dry.
5. With the help of a brush, exclusively intended for food use, we brush the entire surface of the flower with egg white. We let any excess drain off.
6. Using a spoon, generously pour sugar to completely cover the flower.
7. Place on a rack and repeat the process with the remaining flowers.
8. If we notice that in some areas the sugar has dissolved due to an excess of egg white, we’ll sprinkle a little more sugar over them.
9. Let it dry at room temperature throughout the night. They can take 12 to 72 hours to dry.
10. Once they are dry, we store in a airtight container for several months.

We serve the ice cream:

1. Before serving the ice cream, let it sit for 5 minutes at room temperature.
2. We serve the ice cream scoops in individual bowls using a ice cream spoon, we garnish with candied squash blossoms and serve with toffee sauce.

This roasted pumpkin ice cream with hazelnuts you'll be very surprised. If you have a sweet tooth, as the ice cream has just the right amount of sweetness, you can serve it with a homemade toffee sauce. Wonderful, I give you my word.

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• You can see the Tokyo Design bowls and others we love here.
• You will find all KitchenAid food processors and accessories here.

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