Pumpkin Ice Cream

• 1 cup milk
• 1½ cups heavy cream
• ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• pinch of salt
• 5 egg yolks
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp bourbon

Caramel Beer Sauce

• 24 oz (2 bottles) beer (dark spiced ale suggested)
• 1½ cups light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Gingerbread Croutons

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup unsulphured molasses
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• nonstick cooking spray

Special Equipment

• fine-mesh strainer
• ice cream maker
• 8" x 8" baking pan
• hand mixer
• parchment paper

Make Ice Cream

1. Bring milk, cream, brown sugar, spices and salt to a boil over medium heat
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar
3. Slowly add about half of the hot mixture into the eggs and sugar, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs.  This is called "tempering"
4. Transfer mixture back to the pot and cook over medium heat 2-4 minutes until mixture thickens
5. Remove from heat and pass mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Add pumpkin purée, vanilla extract and bourbon and whisk together to combine
6. Let come to room temperature, stirring occasionally. (If you're unable to stir the mixture during this time, cover bowl with plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto the mixture to avoid forming a skin). Once cooled to room temperature, refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours to overnight
7. Add to an ice cream machine and process according to manufacturer's directions. It will take about 15-20 minutes to thicken. Eat immediately or store in a covered container in the freezer

Make Beer Caramel Sauce

1. Bring beer to a boil over medium heat and reduce to 1 cup (takes about 15 minutes)
2. Add light brown sugar, butter and salt to the beer reduction and cook 6-8 minutes until mixture is thick and bubbling
3. Slowly add heavy cream (bubbling mixture may sputter - so be careful!). Stir to incorporate cream, then add vanilla extract. Bring back to boil, then reduce heat to a simmer slowly and continue to cook 6-8 minutes longer until sauce gets really thick

Make Gingerbread

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. Spray an 8" x 8” pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, allowing parchment to rise above the edge of the pan. (This aids in easier removal of the gingerbread.) Spray parchment with nonstick cooking spray
3. Cream together butter and sugar in a stand mixer or a hand mixer. Add egg and mix until combined.  Add molasses and mix until incorporated
4. Combine vinegar and milk and set aside (mixture will curdle)
5. Sift together flour and salt and add to the mixer.  Add baking powder, baking soda and spices and fold in, in stages, alternating with milk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Give the bowl one good scrape with a spatula to make sure all ingredients are well mixed
6. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and spread out evenly. Bake about 50-60 minutes until gingerbread is completely set and pulling away from sides of the pan
7. When cool enough to touch, lift gingerbread from pan by the overlapping parchment paper

Make Gingerbread Croutons

1. Once the gingerbread has cooled, wrap in plastic and store in the freezer until ready to make croutons
2. To make the croutons, preheat oven to 350º
3. Slice gingerbread and cut into cubes
4. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet
5. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes, rotating the pan in the oven once halfway through the cooking time to ensure even coloring
6. Store croutons in an airtight container until ready to use