Fall Pumpkin Recipes

1. Pumpkin Gingersnap Ice Cream

• 1 pt. whipping cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup Homemade Pumpkin Puree
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt $
• 1/2 cup coarsely crushed gingersnaps
• 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

Preparation

1. Whisk all ingredients except gingersnaps and bourbon in a bowl to blend. Strain into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.
2. Scrape ice cream into a bowl and stir in gingersnaps and bourbon. Freeze, covered, until scoopable, 2 1/2 hours and up to 1 week (gingersnaps soften somewhat after 1 day).

2. Pumpkin Puree
Skip the canned stuff and make a fresh pie filling with plump squash or pumpkin-both are in season now. Choose a dry-fleshed baking pumpkin like Sugar Pie (Halloween pumpkins are too moist) or a dense orange squash like butternut or kabocha.

Preheat oven to 375°. Cut 2 lbs. pumpkin or squash in half with a large, heavy knife, then scoop out the seeds (save them for toasting if you like). Rub the inside of the pumpkin halves with vegetable oil and set them, cut side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until very soft when pierced, 45 to 75 minutes. Scoop flesh into a food processor and whirl until smooth. If the puree is watery, let it drain in a strainer for 30 minutes. Makes 1 1/2 to 2 cups puree.

3. Pumpkin Bourbon Shakes

• 4 1/2 cartons (14 oz. each) vanilla ice cream such as Häagen-Dazs, softened
• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• About 1/2 tsp. nutmeg (preferably freshly ground)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Preparation

1. Whirl a third of the ice cream, pumpkin, milk, and bourbon at a time in a blender until smooth, adding sugar and spices to last batch. Pour into a large bowl and stir to combine.
2. Ladle shakes into 8 tall glasses and top each with a dollop of whipped cream if you like and a little nutmeg. Serve with straws.

4. No-Cook Pumpkin Chocolate Icebox Pie

• 3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons half-and-half
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 28 chocolate graham cracker sheets (12 oz. total)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Preparation

1. Beat cream cheese and sugars in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Then beat in pumpkin, half-and-half, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. 
2. Lay enough graham crackers in a 9- by 9-in. pan to cover bottom (cut to fit if necessary). Spread a quarter of pumpkin mixture over crackers with an offset spatula. Layer 3 more times, ending with pumpkin mixture. 
3. Cover; chill overnight. Set leaf cutouts (trace them on paper) on top and dust with cocoa, then remove. Cut and serve.