Pumpkin Bourbon Ice-Cream with Pepita Brittle

This pepita brittle is a light and crunchy bite that melts in your mouth with the ice cream. (The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation)

“This is one of the best things you’ll ever eat in your life. Ice cream is very intimidating for people, but I encourage them to go ahead, spend the money on a home ice cream machine and start to experiment with how easy ice cream is to make,” said Chef Brust of The Williamsburg Inn.

Cook Time:1 hours

Prep Time:1 days

Total Time:1 days1 hours

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

4 oz Bourbon

2 cups Heavy Cream

2 cups Half and Half

? tsp Sea Salt

1 each Vanilla Beans, split and scraped

9 each Egg Yolks

1 cup Sugar

1 cups Pumpkin, peeled, seeded small diced

1 Tbsp Whole Butter, melted

1 Tbsp Brown Sugar

? tsp Cinnamon, ground

? tsp Cloves, ground

? tsp Sea Salt

? cup Water

? cup Corn Syrup

1 ½ cups Sugar

2 cups Pumpkin seeds, salted and toasted

2 tsp Kosher Salt

1 tsp Cinnamon, ground

? tsp Cardamom, ground

1 ½ tsp Vanilla Extract

1 tsp Baking Soda

2 Tbsp Whole Butter

Preparation:

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, reduce the bourbon by half the volume, careful not to flambé, reserve for later in the recipe.

In a large saucepan add the heavy cream, half and half, salt and vanilla beans, bring to a simmer, remove from the heat.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together till light in color, then slowly temper in the hot liquid into the yolks while whisking constantly.

Place the mixture back on the heat and whisk vigorously till coats the back of a spoon or 175°F.

Strain and cool the mixture overnight if possible.

Freeze the ice-cream according to an ice-cream machine’s specifications.

Toss the diced pumpkin with the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and sea salt and roast in a 350°F oven till lightly caramelized. Fold into the freshly frozen ice-cream.

Prepare a lipped cookie sheet pan with a little butter or lay a silicone mat.

In a 4qt lidded stainless steel pot add water, syrup, sugar simmer for 2 minutes.

Remove the lid and add a candy thermometer, cook till 285°F.

Add the pumpkin seeds and continue to cook till a temperature of 300°F.

Remove from the heat and add the salt, spices, vanilla, baking soda and butter.

Mix till well combined and then pour out evenly on to the prepared sheet pan.

Allow to cool for 20-30 minutes, break to desired size.