Step 1

Prepare the Pumpkin Ice Cream: In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of the whole milk until smooth and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese and salt. Add the pumpkin puree and honey and whisk until smooth.

Step 2

Combine the remaining whole milk, heavy cream, brown sugar, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and spices in a large saucepan (roughly 3 to 4 quarts in size). Place the milk mixture over medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture back to a boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it has thickened.

Step 3

Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese-pumpkin mixture and whisk until smooth and well combined. Set the bowl over a large ice bath until cool, stirring every five minutes or so. Once the mixture is cold, churn in an ice cream maker according to your manufacturer’s directions. Transfer ice cream to a container, cover the surface with parchment paper, and freeze for at least 4 to 6 hours, or until very firm.

Step 4

Prepare the Candied Pecans: Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Line a half sheet pan with a Silpat (silicone mat) or parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, ground spices, and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until very frothy. Add the raw pecan halves to the egg whites and gently toss to coat. Add the sugar spice mixture and gently toss until the pecans are evenly coated. Spread the pecans out on the lined sheet pan until they are in a thin, even layer. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes, until the pecans are dry to the touch and the sugar mixture has hardened. Place on pan on a rack to cool completely before storing in a Ziploc bag or airtight container.

Step 5

Assemble the Drumsticks: Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow to soften at room temperature slightly as you prepare the chocolate dip coating. Place the chopped chocolate and oil in a double-broiler and melt, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the chocolate has melted completely and is smooth and shiny. Spoon about 2-3 teaspoons of melted chocolate into the bottom of each waffle cone. Set the cones upright (very small jars or glasses work well for this; alternatively, you can cut small “X”'s into the top of a cardboard egg crate to hold the waffle cones upright) and place the cones in the freezer for 10 minutes or so, until the chocolate has set.

Step 6

Using a spoon, fill each waffle cone with softened pumpkin ice cream until the cones are completely full. Top each cone with a full scoop of ice cream, gently pressing the ice cream into the waffle cone (be gentle, as the waffle cones can crack if you are too aggressive).

Step 7

Place the waffle cones back into the freezer for at least an hour, or until the ice cream is very hard. During this time, I like to keep the melted chocolate in the double-broiler (set above a pot of warm water), so that the chocolate stays completely melted.

Step 8

Roughly chop a little over 1 cup of the candied pecans and place in a bowl for easy grabbing. Check and make sure the chocolate coating is still melted and lukewarm in temperature. Remove the waffle cones from the freezer and dip the filled cones, one at a time, in the melted, lukewarm chocolate until the ice cream is fully coated in a thin layer. Alternatively, use a spoon to create a rough cob-web like dipped effect.

Step 9

Hold the cones upside-down to allow any excess chocolate to drizzle back into the bowl, then turn right side up. Immediately sprinkle the tops with chopped candied pecans.

Step 10

Set the dipped waffle cones upright in a small mason jar (or back in the egg crate). Repeat with the remaining cones and place back in the freezer until the chocolate has completely set, roughly 10 to 15 minutes, before serving. Alternatively, you make these drumsticks ahead wrap them in parchment or wax paper for easy storage and grabbing.