Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh sage
  • 4 (2- by 1/2-inch) strips lemon zest
  • 9 large egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup safflower or canola oil
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh pumpkin puree or canned solid-pack pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup dried tart cherries
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 lb fresh pumpkin (preferably sugar or cheese pumpkin), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
  • Accompaniment: arrop (Spanish candied pumpkin) syrup*
  • Garnish: confectioners sugar
  • Special equipment: an instant-read or candy thermometer; an ice cream maker; a 3-inch cookie cutter

Method

  • Bring cream, half-and-half, sage, and zest to a boil in a large heavy saucepan over moderate heat.
  • Remove from heat and steep, covered, 10 minutes.
  • Whisk together yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
  • Whisk in half of hot cream, then whisk egg mixture into remaining cream in saucepan.
  • Cook custard over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it coats back of spoon and reaches 170F on thermometer, about 5 minutes (do not let boil).
  • Pour custard through a fine sieve into a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally.
  • Chill custard, its surface covered with plastic wrap, until cold, at least 3 hours.
  • Freeze custard in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.
  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Butter a 13- by 9- by 2-inch metal baking pan.
  • Line bottom with wax or parchment paper, then butter paper.
  • Sift together flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, and salt.
  • Whisk together brown sugar and eggs in a large bowl, then whisk in oil and pumpkin puree.
  • 3Add flour mixture and whisk just until smooth.
  • Pour batter into baking pan and bake in middle of oven until springy to the touch and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge and invert onto rack.
  • Peel off paper and cool cake completely.
  • Soak cherries in hot water to cover until softened, about 15 minutes, then drain.
  • Melt butter in a large skillet over moderate heat.
  • Add sugars, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt, then cook, stirring until smooth.
  • Add pumpkin and drained cherries and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until pumpkin is tender, 8 to 12 minutes.
  • Cut out 12 (3-inch) rounds from cake with cutter.
  • Halve each round horizontally, then put bottom halves on 12 plates and top with scoops of ice cream.
  • Spoon compote on and around cakes, then tilt tops against ice cream.