Seeing as we’re about to kick off the last official weekend of summer before the Autumnal Equinox, I thought I’d share with you a recipe that can seamlessly transition from the season of cold ice cream churned on hot days to the season of aromatic spiced treats baked on cool mornings.
I borrowed Wheeler Del Toro’s technique of thickening the ice cream base with arrowroot powder instead of eggs, and used reduced fat milk & half-and-half instead of heavy cream to keep the ice cream on the lighter side. I combined evaporated cane juice, brown sugar, and maple syrup for a complex sweetness, and my favorite warm spices rounded out the autumnal flavor.
This ice cream can be enjoyed sitting in the sun on a warm afternoon or cuddled under a blanket on a cool evening… in other words, it is more than acceptable to indulge in two servings per day ;).
Autumn Spiced Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- 2 cups 2% reduced fat milk, divided
- 2 Tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 2 Tbsp evaporated cane juice or granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp pure maple extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Directions:
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup milk with the arrowroot. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining 1 3/4 cup milk, half-and-half, evaporated cane juice, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Cook over medium heat, gently whisking occasionally, until the mixture just begins to boil, about 10 minutes. When the mixture reaches the soft boiling point (bubbles are just starting to break the surface), remove from heat, and whisk in the milk & arrowroot mixture. Whisk until the mixture noticeably thickens, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the vanilla extract, maple extract, and spices. Transfer ice cream base to a medium bowl. Chill completely in the refrigerator, about 2-3 hours.
- Freeze according to ice cream manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an air-tight freezable container and freeze until “ripened” (hardened).
~because I had so much fun photographing this ice cream, here are a few additional shots for you to enjoy~
