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Squash Ice cream on warm Squash Halwa
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Squash Ice Cream on Warm Squash Halwa

My contribution to this month's recipe contest using squash is a low fat spiced squash ice cream served on warm squash halwa with squash seeds brittle wedge.
This is a hot/cold dessert recipe here which I came up with and prepared during the thanksgiving weekend.
It was a big hit with our friends- kids, grown-ups and people from all cultures. Hope you enjoy it just as much as I enjoyed planning, making and serving it.
Course Beverages
Cuisine Indian

Ingredients

Low fat spiced squash ice cream

  • 1/2 cup  Butternut Squash (cubed)
  • 1/2 cup  Golden Acorn Squash (cubed)
  • 10 oz  Low Fat sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 cups  Lite whipped cream (cool whip lite)

Spice list (can adjust to taste preference)

  • 1 tsp  Cinnamon Powder
  • 1 tsp  Ginger Powder
  • 1/4 tsp  Clove Powder
  • 1/4 tsp  Nutmeg Powder
  • 1/4 tsp  Cardamom Powder
  • 1/2 tsp  Chai Masala (any brand OK)

Squash Halwa

  • 1 cup  Golden Acorn Squash (shredded)
  • 1 cup  Orange Acorn Squash (shredded)
  • 3/4 cup  Light Brown Sugar (Can substitute white sugar or even sugar substitute)
  • 1 tsp  Cardamom Powder
  • 1 tsp  Ginger Powder
  • 2 tsp  Ghee/Unsalted Butter

Squash Seed Brittle

  •  2 Tbsp  Cleaned and dried squash seeds (I used acorn and butternut squash seeds saved up from the above two recipes but seeds from any squash may be used)
  • 3 Tbsp Sugar
  • Ghee - enough to grease a small flat surface

Instructions

Low fat spiced squash ice cream

  • Put all the spice powders in a small container with a lid. Cover and give it a good shake to form a homogenous spice mixture.
  • Pressure cook the squash pieces without adding water for 2 whistles. Remove and let it cool completely. Blend to a very smooth puree.
  • Now in a large mixing bowl take the squash puree. Add the spice mixture and condensed milk and whisk together - again to form a homogenous mixture.
  • Next fold in the lite whipped cream (cool whip or any other equivalent). Mix gently until the whipped cream is fully incorporated in the squash mixture.
  • Transfer the above to a freezer friendly container and freeze for 6-8hours.
  • Voila! Your spiced squash ice cream is ready!. This can be served as it is for dessert - but serve it on warm squash halwa and you have a super heartwarming dessert. The spices from the ice cream are so much more enhanced when warmed up by the bed of warm squash halwa!

Squash Halwa

  • Head a heavy bottom pot.
  • Add the ghee or butter and after it is warmed stir in the shredded squashes.
  • Once it starts leaving out it's juice add the sugar - cook until it's done.
  • The squash should be cooked but should get too mushy.
  • Now add the cardamom and ginger powders and give it one last stir.
  • Turn of the heat.

Squash Seed Brittle

  • Grease the flat surface and keep it ready.
  • First we need to roast the squash seeds. This can be done on stove top in a pan. Heat a pan and roast the squash seeds until they turn light brown. Allow to cool and it will become crisp and crunchy. You can also bake the seeds in an oven at 300F for about 10mins or until they slightly start to turn brown.
  • Heat a skillet and add sugar to it (Do NOT add any water). Allow sugar to melt until it becomes a brown caramelized liquid. You have to keep stirring the sugar until it melts to prevent it from burning. After it has melted fully turn off the heat and stir in the roasted crisped squash seeds.
  • Transfer to greased surface and roll with rolling pin to a flat sheet. Cut out a triangle shaped wedge after it cools. This is your squash seed brittle - a wonderful topping for your ice cream.

Notes

Serving:
In a dessert bowl, first place the warmed squash halwa. Top it with 2 scoops of squash ice cream. Place the squash brittle wedge on top.
This is a low-fat healthy dessert if you make sure to use low fat condensed milk and also lite whipped cream. For an even more guilt free experience try replacing the sugar in the squash halwa with sugar substitute such as Splenda - works just as well.