One of our best harvests this year (other than the piles of tomatoes we are dealing with ) are butternuts or butternut squash as they say here in America.
Whitney (one of the two chefs in residence) walked across to the other farm on her day off where the butternuts are growing , returned armed with a fat ripe butternut and set to work to make icecream. It is quite stunning. Delicate, fresh and tasty. Its buttery colour the perfect complement to the gentle late summery flavours.
She brought a bowl of the icecream to me while I was milking. It seemed right and fitting to eat icecream while milking the cows! Though the cows did not care. 

She wrote out her recipe for you.
Butternut Squash Icecream.
1 small butternut squash, cut into 2 inch pieces or 1 1/2 cups pureed
1 TBS butter
2 cups whole milk
3 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cup of sugar, divided
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
5 egg yolks
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
-Place squash in a roasting pan and dot with pieces of butter. Cover and roast for 45 minutes or until tender. Let cool briefly, puree, and reserve 1 1/2 cups.
-Combine milk, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla bean in a sauce pot. Bring just to a boil, remove from heat, and cover. Let stand for 30 minutes then remove cinnamon and vanilla bean.
-Add 1/2 cup sugar, cream, and salt to the infused milk. Return to stove and bring just to a boil, then remove from heat.
-Whisk together egg yolks and remaining sugar until combined and lighter in color. Slowly pour milk into egg yolks, whisking constantly, until all the milk is incorporated. Return to stove on low heat, whisking until the mixture has thickened. It should be just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
-Remove from heat and add the 1 1/2 cups of butternut squash puree. Whisk until smooth, then strain the custard and chill overnight. Spin in an ice cream mixer, freeze, and enjoy!
Adapted from: James Beard Recipes
Yesterday I brought the Westie cows back to the home farm. They are getting through the feed over there and I wanted to get everyone in the same area so I could play musical cows and rejig the little herds. Also I want to buddy up Lady’s Bobby with Txiki. They are both about the same age and can keep each other company for a while.
Aunty Anna is definitely the boss cow of her herd and will be old enough to go to the bull in late November /December so I want her close by to begin to note her cycle.
Today though we will be baling hay. And loading it into the barn. I will let you know the numbers for those of you who have been counting for me.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love celi





37 responses to “Butternut Squash Ice-cream”
It’s at times like this that I miss cream most… You simply can’t achieve the same result with lactose free stuff, and that ice cream looks and sounds wonderful. I shall have to go away and sulk gently over a bowlful of coconut and cardamom pannacotta. Not the same.
That look delicious – I can imagine butternut squash making a very good ice cream 🙂
Thanks for the recipe. I have never heard of butternut ice cream but it sounds delicious. Can’t wait to try it out.
Ok I am stunned us South Africans haven’t come up with butternut ice cream – we seem to have managed to incorporate it into everything else 🙂 Just look how beautiful and fat Difficult is – a success story for sure. I have sharpened my pencil, licked the end and placed in readiness behind my ear – for the next calculation 🙂 Laura
When I came across butternut squash ravioli, I thought it was a revelation. This, however, is a revelation. It’s already copied, for that day I find a friend with an ice cream freezer.
The ice cream sounds divine! I love butternet or pumpkin anything (Forget about pumpkin spice stuff – give me the vegetable) Hint: Candied Ginger added to the ice cream would be very good too. In Portland Maine – in the old port – there is a small ice creamery that makes a candied ginger and pumpkin ice cream that I love.
Pat, I used to live in Portland. Isn’t the Old Port GREAT? I really miss it. I miss it even more than my sister who lives in So. Portland! Tell me what you like about Portland and LL Bean, too. jamarzgayle19@yahoo.com Thanks and love, Gayle
I so want to make this recipe – I imagine it would be similar to pumpkin ice cream. It’ll have to be saved and wait but it will be worth it!
My partner is a fantastic cook and currently obsessed with testing out how to make ice cream – he will be thrilled to try that recipe, thank you for sharing 🙂
Butternut squash ice cream. Now that is something O was not expecting!
Looks and sounds sublime.
I am always amazed at the talented young people you and your farmy attract! And that’s so fitting!
blech! … okay, okay … I’ll try it … don’t give me that look.
Jean – which part of France is your farm – South? I am planning a trip – might drop in!! c
We’re near Condom. True story. 🙂
Me too Jean Curtis…gag!
never a dull moment in your kitchen! Have a lovely day today!
Isn’t it wonderful! c
Sounds intriguing, I’m up for trying it soon!
Chica andaluza… It is lovely to see your face!!! Love, Gayle
Thank you!
Gosh, you have so many cows right now I had lost track of the west herd. And if “rejig” is not in the dictionary yet, it ought to be.