1. Heat oven to 400°. Place squash, cut sides down, on sheet pan. Roast in oven until fork tender. Remove from oven. Cool slightly before removing skin. Place squash in food processor and purée it.

2. Combine the half-and-half in a medium saucepan with the sugar, vanilla bean seeds and squash purée. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a simmer.

3. Temper in the egg yolks (to temper, whisk in a small amount of the hot liquid into the egg yolks to warm them. Then whisk the warmed eggs back into the saucepan.)

4. Continue to cook until the custard reaches nappé (it coats the back of a spoon, and if you run your finger through the spoon, the custard doesn’t run through the finger mark.)

5. Strain custard into a clean bowl. Set the bowl over an ice bath and cool before refrigerating overnight. Spin ice cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Recipe compliments of Chef Tracy Dempsey, Tracy Dempsey Originals, 602.376.9021.