Pumpkin Meringue Pie Ice Cream

Instructions

Make the pumpkin meringue pie ice cream base

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yolks, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, mace, and salt until smooth.

In a medium pan, add the cream and brown sugar. Whisk to combine.

Heat the cream-sugar mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 5 minutes. Don't allow the liquid to boil!

While whisking the yolks, slowly drizzle the hot cream-sugar mixture into the bowl. Return the cream-yolk mixture back to the saucepan.

Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Swipe a line across the spoon with your fingerâ€"if it holds, it’s done, 5 to 8 minutes. Alternatively, if you have a thermometer, cook the custard until it reaches 185°F (85°C).

Strain the hot custard through a sieve into a clean bowl. Gently stir in the pumpkin purée, vanilla, and spiced rum, if using.

Lightly coat a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and press it against the surface of the custard. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.

Make the chocolate-crust shards

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Crank up the oven to 350°F (180°C).

In a food processor, finely grind the Oreos. Dump the crumbs into a small bowl, add the melted butter, and mix until combined.

Dump the crumbs onto the foil-lined baking sheet and pat them into a 1/8-inch (3-mm) thick slab. Bake until the surface looks dry, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the sheet to a rack and cool completely. Break up into bite-size pieces.

Churn the ice cream

Pour the fully chilled custard into a 1-quart-capacity ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s direction until the custard is thick and is the texture of soft serve.☞ TESTER TIP: Due to the addition of booze, the ice cream will take longer to reach soft-serve stage, but fear not!

Assemble the ice cream

Spoon the marshmallow spread into a small microwave-safe bowl and nuke in 5-second bursts until the spread softens, about 15 seconds total. Vigorously stir the spread with a spoon to release the air making the spread smooth and lightly pourable.

Spread 1/3 of the ice cream into the bottom of a plastic freezer container. Spoon half of the marshmallow over the ice cream and use a knife to quickly marble it through the ice cream. Stick half of the crust shards into the ice cream. Repeat with another layer of ice cream, marshmallow, and shards. Top with the remaining third of ice cream and spread it smooth.

Cover tightly, and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days. Let soften for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Dessert