Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream (nutrient-dense : raw : primal : no refined sweeteners)

My son's pumpkin harvest is rolling in, and he has garnered many more pumpkins than I expected. Since it is still fairly hot here, we've been enjoying pumpkin ice cream. Creamy, spicy, and cool: this ice cream is so good!

All of the pumpkin ice cream recipes I found on the 'net involved cooking the cream, eggs and sugar to make a custard base, but I wanted our pumpkin ice cream to be raw and simple to make.  So I've relied on my old standby for sweetening ice cream, which is a combination of maple syrup and raw honey.  With plenty of spices and egg yolks, this ice cream is rich, smooth, and yummy.

This ice cream comes together quickly and easily by just mixing everything in the blender before pouring it into our ice cream maker.  You could also try this method to make ice cream without a machine.

Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
Makes about 6-7 cups of ice cream

• 2 cups heavy cream, preferably raw and from grassfed cows
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tb grade B organic maple syrup
• 3 raw egg yolks, preferably from pastured hens*
• 1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 tsp dried ginger
• 3/4 tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp fine-ground celtic sea salt
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract, organic or homemade
• 1 and 3/4 cups pumpkin puree, preferably chilled
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tb raw mild-flavored honey
• optional: crumbled Ginger-O's or chopped candied ginger

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Add the honey last, and then blend it right away so the honey doesn't have a chance to harden and clump.
2. Whir for several minutes, until well-combined.
3. If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can follow these instructions to make ice cream without a machine.
4. If you do have an ice cream maker, pour mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the instructions for your maker.  I use the Kitchen-Aid ice cream maker attachment, and it works great!
5. Transfer to the fridge to freeze solid for several hours. 
6. Scoop and enjoy! If desired, top with chopped candied ginger or crumbled Ginger-O's.

*Since the egg yolks in this recipe will be consumed raw, it is a good idea to make sure the eggs used are from a trusted source.  Salmonella is typically only an issue with unhealthy hens.  Washing the eggs before you crack them will also reduce any potential salmonella risk, since it actually comes from bacteria on the OUTSIDE of the egg shells.  

What is your favorite pumpkin recipe?

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