Frozen Pumpkin Protein Custard

Today wasn’t Pancake Sunday, it was The HEAB Birthday Ice Cream Sunday! Happy Birthday Heather’s Blog!

My easy pumpkin protein ice cream uses cottage cheese (like my Fall for Pumpkin Ice Cream) and dairy doesn’t agree with everyone. Some of my pudding recipes use silken tofu (like my Vegan Pumpkin Breakfast Parfait) but soy doesn’t agree with everyone either. So how to make a soy-free, sugar-free, chemical-free, dairy-free protein ice cream? It was a challenge.

Problems? Lots. Almond milk is very low in protein, as is coconut milk and hemp milk. I looked at coconut milk yogurt, still low protein. I didn’t want to use rice protein powder, because I just wasn’t lovin’ the flavor. Too chalky. Hemp protein powder would totally not work for this application, neither would its counterpart, sand (am I being unfair to hemp?). As I had ruled out rice protein, that left me with one viable option: egg white protein. And of course, that’s the one protein powder that I don’t have on my shelf. So I did it the hard way. Real eggs.

So how to make this with a higher protein content, relatively easy and with a reasonable calorie count? Egg, egg whites, and gelatin.
I read here that using gelatin or similar substance assists in absorbing some of the free water in the ice cream mix and helps prevent the formation of large crystals in the ice cream. Plus, gelatin has a bit of protein in it (FYI – it’s not vegetarian, so try agar-agar for veggies).

I was going to recommend cooking this custard base in the microwave and then I remembered that Heather is afraid that the zap-o-matic machine is x-raying her internal organs and giving her super blogging powers. So this is old school – stove top style! Although I am teaching myself to cook (not going to culinary school like my blogging peep Bekah over at Beek Eats), my kitchen skills leave much to be desired. I made this up, so your mission should you choose to accept it, is play with this recipe and have fun!

Ready? Take a deep breath and say it out loud: Soy-free, sugar-free, chemical-free, dairy-free HEABIE JEEBIE protein ice cream

• 1 packet Knox gelatin
• 1 c. almond milk
• 1 egg
• 4 whites (equivalent to about 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 tsp NuNaturals stevia powder (3/4 tsp if you want it sweeter)
• 1/2 c. pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• Optional: 1/8 tsp guar gum and a pinch of xanthan gum (if you have it and are so inclined. The egg yolk should act as an emulsifier and stabilizer.)
• Optional: Few drops of maple extract

With a double boiler (or heat-proof glass pan over simmering water) or directly in a saucepan, heat almond milk and gelatin, whisking to avoid lumps.

In a bowl beat egg and egg whites.

Pour a few tablespoons of the hot milk mixture and whisk into eggs (so eggs won’t curdle). Pour in a few more and then a steady stream of hot liquid into the eggs.

Then, pour mixture back into saucepan and stir constantly over heat for a few minutes, whisking so that you don’t get vanilla scented scrambled eggs.  (Just trust me on that one.)
Cool completely in the refrigerator. Wait for mixture to cool. Patience, young jedi. Patience. Mix cooled milk/egg mixture in blender with pumpkin, stevia, spice, salt and gums (if using) and then pour into an ice cream maker.

Run the machine until ice cream is set – 30 minutes or so.

Top with candied pumpkin seeds for a festive touch or a cranberry chocolate protein brownie (recipe coming soon, I promise!).

Not including pumpkin seeds, this has less than 250 calories, about 12 grams carbohydrate and 24 grams of protein – have it for breakfast or split it for dessert.

Candied Pumpkin Seeds
Toast pumpkin seeds (pepitas in the bulk bin) over medium-low heat in a dry skillet. Natural sugar version: Toss with a pat of butter or virgin coconut oil, a drizzle of maple syrup, agave or honey and a pinch of cinnamon.

Sugar-free version: Toss with a pat of butter or virgin coconut oil, a drizzle of sugar free pancake syrup or about 2 TB xylitol, erythritol or splenda and a pinch of cinnamon.


Easy Pumpkin or Kobucha Squash Frozen Custard
I haven’t made this version so it’s a guess. How’s that for carefully crafting recipes in the Protein Test Kitchen?

• 1-2 scoops of Jay Robb Egg White Protein Powder OR pasteurized liquid egg whites or powder (which again, I don’t have)
• 1 c. almond milk
• 1 serving (or half a pan) of HEAB’s Kobucha Squash Custard

Blend and freeze in an ice cream maker, OR use cubes of frozen almond milk and pour just enough almond milk over all the ingredients to be able to blend in the Vita-Mix with the tamper. Instant soft serve!

And for the record, I realize that any sort of protein ice cream is an absolute insult to true iced cream. Gummy additives are just further injury to this “healthified” affrontery. No wonder David Lebovitz has fled America to the culinary shores of France….
Hope you enjoy it!