I hope you haven’t lost trust in me when it comes to ice cream. Maybe I deserve it. Was it the sweet corn ice cream? Or the vegan chocolate chip, beet ice cream? I guess I don’t blame you, but you absolutely must give me one more chance because this pumpkin, maple, Grand Marnier ice cream is a winner. I’m not kidding, I can hardly keep the freezer door shut long enough to let it totally set up. I keep tasting it to make sure I’m not dreaming. Or delusional.
Okay, it’s not perfect, but it’s pretty dang close. Let me go taste it one more time and I’ll let you know for sure.
Yep, it’s a 9.5. If it was a little creamier, I’d give it a 10. The pumpkin purée is a touch grainy. Just a touch – like a nano-touch, so keep reading.
I’ve been receiving pumpkins in my Grant Farms CSA box on a weekly basis lately. Sweet, yummy, organic, sugar pumpkins. I’ve made soup, muffins, custard, pancakes and even cookies out of pumpkins. But never ice cream. Until today, and I’m happy to say I’ve found a new favorite dessert. I’m serving it tomorrow. After a day of skiing and a dinner of traditional New Mexico stacked, red chile enchiladas. With an organic poached egg on top. I’m shaking things up a bit this Thanksgiving.
pumpkin, maple, Grand Marnier ice cream
what you need
ice cream maker
1 and 3/4th cup half and half, well chilled
1 cup pumpkin purée, unsweetened and unspiced
3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, preferably grade B (here’s why)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
* optional: 1 - 2 teaspoons Grand Marnier
I used 1 teaspoon because I was afraid it would be too strong, but I think I’ll try 2 next time. The Grand Marnier idea came from David Lebovitz’s adaptation of Karen DeMasco and Mindy Fox’s pumpkin ice cream recipe.
what you do
Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend on medium-low speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. Turn on ice cream maker, pour ingredients into freezer bowl per manufacturer’s directions and let mix for about 30 minutes until thickened. Transfer to a storage container and freeze.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Melissa
P.S. I just tasted it again, it’s not grainy. Trust me.
Tags: community supported agriculture, gluten-free, ice cream, maple syrup, pumpkin, seasonal produce
Melissa,
That sounds really good, I’ve been working on a new dessert menu and have been thinking about using squash for a sweet preperation. Think this could do it!
Miles
Well now I know what I will be making when I open one of my containers of pumpkin puree that I froze and have leftovers from making pumpkin pie or pumpkin squares. I always can find one cup of my puree. By the way, you had me at Grand Marnier, but add in the pumpkin and maple and I’m a goner. 😉 What a fabulous Thanksgiving gift, Melissa. I’m planning on making cinnamon honey ice cream using coconut milk tonight to go with my pies, but now I’m not so sure … Hmmm. Happy Thanksgiving, Melissa!
Shirley
This sounds amazing. I am now sad that I have all of this other stuff to make for Thanksgiving (that and I already made a trip to the liquor store, and no, Grand Marnier was not on the list), or I’d totally be making this tonight!
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Shirley Braden, Melissa. Melissa said: Just made the best maple, pumpkin, Grand Marnier ice cream. http://tiny.cc/uV3yw […]
oh my word - I just saw Shirley’s tweet and I headed right over here. This sounds absolutely fabulous. You’re just like me - I have to keep sneaking back for samples - JUST to make sure.
I think I read Harold McGee (or was it Alton Brown?) who said that adding a smidge of alcohol to ice cream prevents it from forming ice crystals - so it stays more scoopable. More soft. More yummy.
My produce friend at Vitamin Cottage is having mexican for thanksgiving this year…much too late for me now. But, I’m totally taking inspiration from the both of you and I am already planning my shake-up for next year!
We’re heading out tomorrow morning to get a hike in - to take full advantage of the awesome weather. Have a wonderful
day tomorrow!
Stephanie
Melissa,
Another inventive recipe and one I’m hoping to try.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone… I personally will be giving thanks for being part of this blog community and meeting new friends this year. So here’s to you Melissa and all your family and friends around the world.
Cid
Melissa,
A very happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and fellow bloggers.
Thank you for your wonderful writing and creative recipes.
Have a great day.
Anne 🙂
Oh yum! That sounds delicious =D. Love the flavours!
Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
I made the cinnamon honey ice cream and I altered the recipe to add Grand Marnier. It was a hit! Not one person mentioned the absence of Cool Whip. LOL
Appreciate the sentiments expressed here today. You’ve created a fantastic community here at gluten free for good. 🙂 Some sweet, kind, and often funny folks. 😉 I love that!
Shirley
Miles,
Funny, I was thinking about making a sweet squash ice cream as well. This pumpkin version was so good, but I think mainly because the pumpkins were so good. They were organic sugar pumpkins. I put chopped crystallized ginger on top of the ice cream and it was one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. Loved your recent Friday photos series. You’re such a good photographer!
Shirley,
This ice cream really was a hit. As I said to Miles, I sprinkled chopped crystallized ginger on top and it was soooo good! I could have easily eaten a pint of it by myself!
🙂
Alta,
I’m not sure why I even had Grand Marnier in my house. I know I didn’t buy it. Must have been a gift, but even though I was afraid to add much, it did give the ice cream a nice subtle Grand Marnier flavor. It was delish!
Stephanie,
Hmmm, I had never heard that about alcohol and ice cream. Thanks for the tip! I love Alton Brown’s “science behind the food” take on everything. He’s so entertaining and enlightening!
I just spent half an hour going through all your recipes for the holidays. Great collection and I’m definitely making the pecans for the holidays!
http://www.glutenfreebynature.com/articles-and-recipes/gluten-free-thanksgiving-guide/
Hope you had a nice hike, the weather is glorious! I’m heading out in an hour or so for a hike in the Flatirons. Too nice of a day to miss being outside. Plus, it’s supposed to snow in the next couple of days!
Cid,
Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving such kind sentiments. You are one of my favorite people (quirky is a desired characteristic in my friend choices) and I just know someday we will be sharing tea or dark chocolate or Table #5! I missed your last comment on one of my previous posts until just yesterday. My site got hacked into and it played havoc on my blogging for a couple of days. No harm done in the long run other than my tech guy had to go in (somewhere in that nebulous world of code and hosting grids) and fix things. The hackers weren’t targeting me (why would anyone hack a gluten-free food site), but an entire grid of my hosting site (looking for credit card and personal information from people).
All’s well now, but I missed several comments and was out of the blogging loop for a couple of days. Found some past comments in a spam folder. I’m thankful for your support, creativity, humor, sense of epistolary adventure and wonderful culinary expertise!
Anne,
I love the people I’ve met through this blog (and all of you from Miles’ blog). I truly feel fortunate to have this opportunity to connect with people from all over the world. For that I am very thankful!
My best to you. I so appreciate your friendship and wonderful comments. You add so much to this culinary journey!
Lauren,
Thanks for stopping by. Yes, this is definitely a “keeper” recipe. But the key is having good pumpkin purée, whether home-made or store-bought.
Loved your cannoli recipe. Those little things were as cute as can be.
Shirley,
Glad your ice cream turned out to be a hit. I need to try that cinnamon honey version. Interesting about what Stephanie said with the alcohol making the ice cream smoother. Interesting little tip! Or excuse to add alcohol to dessert!
You know, you have been such an important part of my GF blogging journey! You’re an absolute doll and I’m thrilled we are on the same path with our mission to increase awareness and help others who have gluten issues. We’ll be doing presentations together some day, I just know it! My gosh, how fun would that be?!
Thank you for all your support, Shirley. I really appreciate all you do! And for making gluten-free EASILY!
http://glutenfreeeasily.com/
Melissa
xo
Looks delicious!
I was just going to say that alcohol always helps ice-cream stay smooth and I noticed above that someone had already pointed it out….. Really does though! I use home made vanilla vodka to get the same effect. x x x
Sounds wonderful
Melissa, you must tell me where you got that beautiful blue bowl! I am in love with it.
Happy belated Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for you and other health centered, GF bloggers. You gals make me smile 🙂 And teach me more every day! xxo
Naomi,
I didn’t know that (about the alcohol), but it makes sense when you think about it. In an anti-freeze kind of way. Home made vanilla vodka? Oh my gosh. I’m not a vodka drinker, but that sounds good. At least worth a sip or two.
🙂
xo
Coconut recipes and GF foods Rock — yes, it was! And, thanks for commenting.
Coco,
I got it at Anthropologie quite some time ago. There was only one left and I snatched it up for blog photos. Not that I’m much of a food stylist, but it sure looks better than my plain earthenware bowls!
Funny that you’d comment on that bowl. Now that I think about it, it reminds me of you! Very cute and girlie!
Hope you’re feeling better. I think of you often. Hang in there, sweet girl!
xo
I have been pining to make this since David Liebovitz posted something similar. I will pull my ‘fresh’ pumpkin puree from the freezer and make a batch this weekend. btw - vanilla also contains alcohol so I use about 1-2 tablespoons in all my ice creams. But the orange in Grand Marnier might be even better.
thx for your comment on my site. love your recipes, too!
[…] were set … until I saw Melissa’s blog post over at Gluten Free for Good. She had just made Pumpkin Maple Grand Marnier ice cream. (It looked and sounded heavenly.) Grand Marnier … now that was a brilliant idea from Melissa! […]
MMMMM,..all of your ice creams are special & apart flavoured!! I also love this one!
Yummmmm,…!!!