Nigella Lawson Pumpkin Ice Cream

Nigella Lawson’s no-churn brandied pumpkin ice cream is a spiced, warm-flavoured ice cream made from pumpkin purée, condensed milk, cream, nutmeg and brandy, with no ice-cream maker needed. It makes about 1 litre, from her book Simply Nigella.

It was born from leftovers: having made her Pumpkin Bundt Cake, she had a little pumpkin purée spare, and paired it with half a tin of condensed milk, cream, fresh nutmeg and a splosh or two of brandy to create, pretty well effortlessly, a gorgeously spiced ice cream.

The lovely paradox, as she puts it, is that it’s a “warm-flavoured” ice cream: cold and frozen, but tasting of cosy autumn spice and brandy. It’s the no-churn method, whisked and frozen, so there’s no machine and barely any effort.

Nigella Lawson Pumpkin Ice Cream

Recipe by Pinch Perfect

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

18

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Calories

220

kcal

Total time

10

minutes

Nigella’s no-churn ice cream from Simply Nigella: pumpkin purée, condensed milk and cream whisked with nutmeg and brandy, then frozen. No machine, warmly spiced. Makes about 1 litre.

Ingredients

• 125g pumpkin purée (from a can)

• 150ml condensed milk

• 300ml double cream

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 3 x 15ml tablespoons brandy

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Directions

• Mix the base:You’ll need 2 x 500ml tubs or 1 x 1 litre tub. Combine the pumpkin purée and condensed milk in a bowl and stir to mix.
• Whisk:Add the cream and whisk until it begins to thicken. (If using American heavy cream or whipping cream, whisk the cream to soft peaks first, then whisk in the condensed milk mixture and continue until thick.)
• Flavour:Grate the nutmeg over, and whisk in the brandy as you pour it in a slow trickle.
• Freeze:Decant into the container(s) and freeze overnight. Take out for 10 minutes to soften before serving.

Notes

• (the brandy matters): It’s not just for flavour; the alcohol keeps the ice cream softer and scoopable, and helps counter the slight iciness the pumpkin’s water content can cause. Rum, or a brandy liqueur like Grand Marnier, works instead.
• (serving ideas): Eat it with Nigella’s Pumpkin Bundt or Cider and 5-Spice Bundt, or use it like brandy butter alongside Christmas pudding. It’s also lovely with warm apple, pumpkin or pecan pie.
• (make ahead): Make and freeze up to 1 week ahead.
• (store): Return leftover ice cream to the freezer as quickly as possible, and eat within 1 month.
• Freezing: Overnight

FAQs

How does no-churn ice cream work without a machine?

It’s Nigella’s clever, effortless method, and it needs no ice-cream maker. Instead of a cooked custard that must be churned, you whisk double cream with sweetened condensed milk (and here, pumpkin) until thick, then simply freeze it. The whipped cream traps air so it doesn’t freeze rock-solid, while the thick, sugary condensed milk does the job of a custard base, keeping it smooth and scoopable.

So there’s no cooking, tempering, straining or churning, barely more effort than the washing up, as Nigella says. Whisk just until thickened; don’t over-whisk, or it turns buttery. It’s the same base behind her famous no-churn coffee and salted caramel ice creams.

Why is there brandy in it, and can I leave it out or swap it?

The brandy does two jobs. It gives the ice cream its warm, mellow, grown-up flavour that pairs so beautifully with the pumpkin and nutmeg, and, importantly, the alcohol keeps the ice cream softer and more scoopable straight from the freezer, since alcohol doesn’t freeze solid. This matters here because the pumpkin adds water, which can make it a touch icy.

Nigella’s own advice if you have no brandy: rum works well, or a brandy-based liqueur like Grand Marnier, whose orange notes suit the spice. You can reduce or omit the alcohol, but the texture will be firmer and icier, so take it out of the freezer a bit longer to soften. It’s an over-18s dessert as written.

Why does it taste “warm” if it’s frozen?

That’s Nigella’s lovely paradox: it’s a cold, frozen ice cream, but it tastes of warm, cosy autumn flavours, the earthy sweetness of pumpkin, the aromatic heat of freshly grated nutmeg and the mellow warmth of brandy. Those spice-and-pumpkin notes are the flavours of a warm pumpkin pie, so the brain reads it as “warm” even though it’s icy cold.

Use freshly grated nutmeg rather than pre-ground for the best, most fragrant warmth, as it’s the key spice here. You could add a pinch of cinnamon or mixed spice (or use pumpkin pie spice, as some do) for even more of that autumnal, spiced character. It’s genuinely a taste of autumn and Christmas in frozen form.

Why did mine turn out a bit grainy or icy?

A couple of things can cause it, and Nigella’s team has addressed this. Most often the graininess comes from the pumpkin purée itself, since some canned purées are slightly grainy or watery, which affects the texture. Avoid using purée that’s been previously frozen and thawed, as that can turn grainy too. Use smooth, good-quality pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling).

Texture also depends on the cream’s fat: double cream (or whipping cream of at least 30% fat) is needed, and if you use a lighter whipping cream, whisk it to soft peaks first before folding in the other ingredients. The sugar and brandy both help prevent iciness, so don’t skimp on either.

What do I serve it with?

It’s wonderfully versatile. Nigella suggests eating it with her Pumpkin Bundt Cake (its origin) or Cider and 5-Spice Bundt, or, radically, using it like brandy butter melting over a hot Christmas pudding. For anyone marking Thanksgiving, it’s a natural alongside warm apple, pumpkin or pecan pie.

More broadly, it’s a dream scooped over any warm spiced cake, crumble or pie, where the cold, boozy, spiced ice cream melts into the warm pudding. It’s the autumn-and-Christmas counterpart to the salted caramel ice cream Nigella serves with her sticky toffee pudding. There’s more on the Nigella Lawson recipes page.

Can I make it ahead, and how long does it keep?

Yes, it’s an ideal make-ahead, which makes it brilliant for Christmas or a dinner party. Make and freeze it up to a week ahead, so it’s ready and waiting. Just take it out of the freezer for about 10 minutes before serving to soften to the perfect scoopable texture.

Leftovers should be returned to the freezer as quickly as possible to keep them smooth, and are best eaten within a month. Keep it well covered in an airtight container so it doesn’t pick up freezer flavours or form ice crystals. Because of the brandy, it stays softer than most homemade ice creams, so it scoops easily even from cold.