Ginger Snap and Pumpkin Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Ice Cream:

2 cups whole milk

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 tablespoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 whole cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

8 large egg yolks

22.5 ounces pumpkin puree (canned is fine)

1/2 tablespoon vanilla

For the Gingersnaps:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

11 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup molasses

1 large egg, at room temperature

Preparation

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, cream, granulated sugar, ginger, ground cinnamon, cinnamon stick, nutmeg and salt. Heat the mixture until steaming and it begins to foam. Remove from the heat.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks until pale yellow. Gradually whisk in one cup of the warm cream mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the yolks and cream mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly being sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan. Continue cooking until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

Place some ice and water into a large bowl and place a smaller bowl inside. Pour the cream mixture through a mesh strainer into the bowl. Stir in the pumpkin and vanilla, add the cinnamon stick back to the mixture. Chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.

Pour the mixture into the freezer can of an electric ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter untill soft. Add the sugar and continue beating until smooth and creamy. Stop the mixer occassionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the vanilla, molasses and egg, combine thoroughly. Mix in the dry ingredients gradually until the dough is smooth.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Roll each half until it’s about 2 inches around, like a log. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and then roll them lightly to smooth them out. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment.

Slice the dough into 1/4 inch rounds with a serrated knift being careful to keep their shape. Place the rounds on the baking sheet and sprinkle with granulated or course sugar.

Bake for 10-13 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time. Let the cookies cool in the pan for about 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Dough can be refrigertaed for up to five days or frozen for up to three months. Baked cookies can be stored in an air-tight container for approximately a week.

To assemble the sandwiches:

(I’m sure this is a no-brainer, but….you never know.)

Thaw the ice cream until soft enough to scoop. Because of the high water content from the pumpkin puree it tends to freeze very firmly.

Take one scoop of ice cream and place on top of one gingersnap, using a second cookie place on top of the ice cream and gently press down.