Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

I can't think of a better recipe for Halloween!

It's Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream!! And it is deeelicious!! And worthy of all these exclamation points!!

As long as you have an ice cream maker, you are just a few steps away from this pumpkin ice cream. Like the other ice creams I have shared on the blog previously, this is a simple ice cream - which basically means it is a base of milk and cream, with no fussy eggs to temper and thicken. A combo of pumpkin pie spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves, give a classic summer treat a tasty fall-ready make-over.

Because this ice cream includes canned pumpkin, which has a bit of water content, I do take a few extra steps before churning the ice cream base. First, I combine the sugars and dairy in a saucepan and warm it to 170 degrees. This will allow the sugars to melt and thicken the cream slightly without scorching. After completely chilling the ice cream base and the pumpkin mixture, I mix the two together along with a splash of pumpkin liqueur. The liquor will keep the consistency of the ice cream from becoming too icy as a result of the water in the pumpkin puree. It's science! You can leave out the booze if serving this to children, just keep in mind you may find the texture a tad icier (still delicious, though).

As for serving this ice cream, I think it is so flavorful and tasty that it can stand alone on it's own. But, I 100% would NOT judge if you threw in some crumbled gingersnaps, drizzled a bit of caramel sauce on top and added some whipped cream for good measure. Tis the season!

Here's what you need for Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream* (Print Recipe!)

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk or half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon or less ground cloves
1 tablespoon pumpkin liqueur (bourbon would work, too)

Here's what you do

In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, milk, vanilla, and sugars. Affix a candy thermometer to the pan and gently bring the mixture up to 170 degrees. Stir frequently. Once up to temperature, transfer to a heatproof bowl and cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge overnight. In a small bowl, combine the pumpkin and the spices. Place in the refrigerator to chill as well.

Spoon a little bit of the cream mixture into the pumpkin and stir until smooth. Combine with the remaining cream mixture and stir in the liqueur. Churn in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions (for me, about 15 minutes). It will be like soft serve immediately after churning. I prefer to freeze for at least 4 hours in a freezer-safe container before scooping and enjoying.

*Adapted slightly from Food Network

Key Lime Cheesecake

We are making a cheesecake today!

This particular variety is, in fact, a Key Lime Cheesecake, and it is the perfect dessert to celebrate the end of summer.

Key Lime Cheesecake is exactly what it sounds like. It is a classic cheesecake, pumped up with the refreshing taste of lime juice and zest. A graham cracker crust is absolutely essential. And, also, this may or may not be a cheesecake with which I won an office bake-off (spoiler: it is!)

Now, look. I am no master baker. For a long time, cheesecake seemed like one of those dishes that you just leave up to the professionals. I first dipped my toes into the cheesecake world with a pumpkin cheesecake around Thanksgiving a couple of years ago and it went surprisingly well and was also insanely delicious. Fast forward to today, I am no longer totally petrified of cheesecake, thanks to a few key tricks I learned. For a smooth and creamy cheesecake that sets up perfectly, doesn't run all over the oven and doesn't crack down the center, always be sure to do the following:

- Bring ALL ingredients to room temperature, and make sure your cream cheese is very well softened (but not melted). Room temperature ingredients blend together so much better, and things are less likely to seize or congeal.

- If you are making a homemade crust, such as graham cracker, chocolate wafer or ginger snap crusts, be sure to pack it into the bottom of the pan VERY well. I like to use the bottom of a measuring cup. This ensures the crust goes out to and up the edges, and also has no cracks or holes.

- Do not over mix ingredients. Mix until smooth and thoroughly combined, but do not whip at high speed! Whipping the ingredients will introduce air bubbles into the batter, which burst in the oven and ultimately lead to the dreaded crack down the middle.

- After making the filling, tap the bowl on the countertop with some force about 30 times before pouring into the crust. The purpose of this is again to release any lingering air bubbles.

- Double line the outside of your springform pan with aluminum foil. You want to be absolutely sure that no filling will run out and no water from your water bath seeps in. The water bath should come up about halfway to the foil line.

All you need to do is follow these techniques, as well as being sure to follow any written measurements, for a truly irresistible cheesecake. This cheesecake is sooo creamy, yet is still light and refreshing from the citrus. The graham cracker crust is a perfectly sweet compliment to the tart lime juice. If you like whipped cream, feel free to garnish the top with a few squirt of whipped cream! I needed to make sure this particular cake traveled well, so I decorated it simply with a few extra graham cracker crumbs and a lime wedge!

The upcoming holiday weekend is the perfect time for a big baking adventure, and I think you are ready for cheesecake!! Let's get cooking.

S'mores Pumpkin Pie

We are just 2 days away from one of the greatest holidays of the year -- Thanksgiving!

And to celebrate, I have done something wild and crazy and really great. I had the idea for this recipe and decided shortly thereafter that this would be our big Thanksgiving recipe here on Gas Stove Girl this year. It's traditional with a major ooey, gooey, twist that you're sure to love.

Here it is, the centerpiece of your dessert table. It is S'mores Pumpkin Pie and, well, just look at it!

This pie is a little outrageous but super ridiculously delicious, it is sweet and full of warming fall spices. It starts with a classic pumpkin pie, but rather than a traditional pie crust, we will fully embrace the s'mores aspect with a graham cracker crust. Once our pumpkin pie has been baked a cooled slightly, we are going to top it with jumbo marshmallows that will get toasted golden brown! Not only are marshmallows very essential to s'mores, but this also reminds me a little bit of the sweet potato casserole our grandparents would make, with lil' baby mallows on top. Nostalgic and decadent, a win-win!

Now, if there is one thing that is always noticeably absent from a Thanksgiving dessert spread, I would argue that it's CHOCOLATE. And lucky for you, I have found a way to remedy that situation without sacrificing our favorite pie. A beautiful drizzle of bittersweet chocolate ganache it the perfect finishing touch to our s'mores pie!

I hope your Thanksgiving is filled with great food (like s'mores pumpkin pie), your closest family, and a full stomach and heart. Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

5-ingredient Mocha Latte Popsicles

Summertime and the living's easy.

And hot. It's very hot.

Now, I admit. I am not one who knows how to deal with the heat well. I don't like being hot, I hate the feeling of being sweaty and uncomfortable. I also hate bugs. I am just so pleasant to be around this time of year!

To help with my aforementioned issues with summer in general, I made us super-simple, super-refreshing, creamy and energizing popsicles! They are 5-ingredient Mocha Latte Popsicles to be exact, and I just love them so much! Homemade popsicles are the best way to keep cool in this summer heat, with seemingly endless tasty combinations to make. Plus - absolutely NO cooking is involved...no hot oven, no open flames on the stovetop, thank goodness!

The base of this recipe is a can of that magical ingredient called sweetened condensed milk. If you've ever made key lime pie, you've likely encountered this luxuriously decadent liquid. Nothing can compare to it. It'll add just the right amount of sweetness and creaminess we need to replicate the "latte" portion of this popsicle. Next, we will whisk, whisk, whisk some good, old fashioned chocolate syrup into a cup of strongly brewed coffee...that's the "mocha"! Do you see where I'm going with this?

So, there's sweetened condensed milk, coffee, and chocolate syrup...that's 3 ingredients. To tie everything together, we will add a bit of milk and some pure vanilla extract for a gourmet touch. That's right, that's all you need for this beautiful pops! I'm going to guess you probably have everything you need stashed away in your pantry or fridge, so what are you waiting for? It's popsicle time!

Key Lime Pie Doughnuts

IT'S NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY!!(!!!!!)

Have you had a doughnut yet today? Calories do NOT count today, so I say...

...treat yourself!

I have been thinking about these Key Lime Pie Doughnuts for a long time, and the final product is even more magical than I could have imagined. All the flavors of key lime pie, but in adorable, bite-size breakfast packages!

The cake itself is soft and tender, with a big crumb and irresistible sweetness. I start by rubbing lime zest into granulated sugar. This is great little baking trick that releases the oils in lime zest and distributes it throughout the whole cake. In addition to flour, I also whisk in graham cracker crumbs. A big, buttery graham cracker crust is THE most important part of a key lime pie, so I knew it had to be incorporated into these doughnuts. Vanilla yogurt will not only keep our doughnuts moist, but it will also add a tangy sweetness that compliments the tart lime flavor. I mean...what is not to love?

OH right, I almost forgot. All good doughnuts MUST have a glaze. For these, a thick and zesty lime glaze, packed with fresh lime zest and a big squeeze of lime juice, topped with even more crunchy graham cracker crumbs! Yay!

These doughnuts are just so delicious and I am sure you will love them! They are fresh and tangy, sweet and tender. Perfect for breakfast, of course, but also amazing as a snack or dessert! They are ooey and gooey, exactly as a good doughnut should be.

Happy Friday! And more importantly, Happy National Doughnut Day!

Lemon Cake with Cranberries

It's cake time!

That's my favorite time, in fact. Especially when it involves this delicious Lemon Cake with Cranberries!

In my humble opinion we don't use fresh cranberries nearly enough, particularly in baked goods. When cooked for a long period of time, they become juicy and sweet, yet are still delightfully tart.

Cranberries and citrus also go together that peanut butter and jelly or New Year's Eve and champagne! Though typically paired with orange in muffins or loaves, I happened to find myself with an abundance of lemons to go with half a bag of leftover cranberries. Thus this cake was born, and man am I glad it was!

There's no denying that there is lots of fresh lemon flavor in this cake. Not only will we rub a tablespoon of freshly grated lemon zest into our sugar (lemon sugar! genius! distributes flavor into the entire loaf! YAS!), there is also plenty of lemon juice in the cake plus a sweet lemon glaze on top. We are in it to win it!

Be sure to work this cake into your holiday breakfast plans! Sweet, tart, festive, and delicious.

P.S. Don't those cran-bebes look like jewels studding the cake?! Swoon!

Apple Spice Bundt Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

I love any excuse to have cake for breakfast!

Or lunch, or dinner, or snacks.

Hey, so real quick. Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK. I know, don't panic (I'm panicking).

The good news is, for those of us hosting an overnight guest or two or four, I made us a perfect make-ahead breakfast treat!

This Apple Spice Bundt Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze is festive, decadent and delicious. Apples, pecans, and spices come together in a moist cake topped with a rich, sweet glaze that is out of this world. Since we'll be spending much of our time on Thanksgiving day worrying about how exactly we are supposed to cook a turkey (how do people just KNOW how to cook a turkey?!), this cake is baked up the day before. Slice and serve with hot coffee while you and your family watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for pure holiday morning bliss!

P.S. Are you the aforementioned overnight guest? Might I suggest surprising your host with this beauty? They will love you even more than they presumably already do!

There is something so beautifully vintage about a bundt cake. They are showstoppers in and of themselves. But this cake? Well, that drippy glaze? Those crunchy, toasted pecans? It's practically a work of art. A very delicious work of art that fills your home with the most intoxicating scents of autumn!

Breath, bake, and enjoy this cake.