butternut squash ice cream using butternut squash seed oil!

Here's another use for butternut squash seed oil(you know, the type I found at the lone Long Island pit stop that may or may not be in violation of federal laws regarding over the counter sales)- in ice cream! 

This sounded like a good idea to me at the time, until I realized oil doesn't freeze very well and scooping out this ice cream is a pain in the ass(not impossible, but annoying). Which makes me wonder how all these recipes for olive oil don't end up in a frozen brick. Oh yea, they used eggs for a custard base. I'm not a fan of having to cook a custard base for an ice cream, but if I ever use oil in ice cream in the future, I very well might have to use that method. I got my inspiration for this recipe from https://communaltable.wordpress.com/2010/04/27/olive-oil-ice-cream/, by the way. 

Other than that little snafu, the ice cream tasted like peanut butter ice cream with a soy sauce aftertaste- tasty to me, but offputting to my dad. He even wondered if I should've said this is a good replacement for peanut butter ice cream for nut allergy sufferers(you know, because of butternut. I looked online- butternut squash is NOT a nut and is safe for tree nut allergy sufferers!). 

I'm not usually a fan of eating savory ice creams(well, this recipe is in a gray area, since it tastes both sweet and savory) at night, but I figured out it tastes really good on top of a graham cracker. I very well have this ice cream for dinner, using this video as a reference!

Now that I think about it, butternut squash ice cream is very versatile!

HELPFUL LINK: Butternut Squash Seed Oil:
http://www.wholeheartedfoods.com/pumpkinseed-oil-shop.htm 

You will need: 

For the cooking equipment: 

A large bowl
A blender(optional but helpful)
Aluminum foil
An ice cream maker
A 1-quart ice cream tub

For the ice cream: 

1 1/2 cups 1% milk
1 cup half and half
15 oz. butternut squash puree
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup butternut squash seed oil(see HELPFUL LINK)
1 tbsp. red cooking wine
A sweet potato to put the ice cream on(optional)

1. Put the first 5 ingredients into a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients up, either in a blender or by hand with a spoon, until the puree has been dissolved. 
2. Put aluminum foil on top of the large bowl. Put the large bowl in the fridge for 1 hour. 
3. MIx the butternut squash seed oil in with the ice cream base.
4. Turn the ice cream maker on and pour the ice cream base into the bowl of the ice cream maker. Add the red cooking wine into the bowl of the ice cream maker as it's churning. Let the ice cream maker churn for 15-20 minutes but stop if it looks like the spinning bowl is about to overflow! 
5. Shut the ice cream maker off and detach the bowl. Scoop the ice cream into the ice cream tub. 
6. Freeze the ice cream for at least 3 hours(or if you like soft serve, eat immediately). 
7. Put the ice cream on top of a sweet potato(optional), on top of graham crackers, or get inspiration from this video. Bon appetit! 

Note: The ice cream will be hard as a brick after freezing, so I found the best way to scoop the ice cream out is:
1. Uncover the lid
2. Let the tub sit at room temperature for 20 minutes
3. Run the sharpest knife available under hot water. 
4. Cut the ice cream in a checkerboard pattern(i.e. vertical, then horizontal). 
5. Run a scooper or spoon under hot water. 
6. Scoop the ice cream out. 

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