Whether it’s cheesecake, ice cream, or the loaf from Starbucks (I want the recipe!), pumpkin is one of my favorite ingredients in the fall and winter seasons. This year, I decided to try something different and serve up creme brûlée in mini pumpkins. I’m a sucker for individual presentation and these couldn’t be any cuter!
I adapted a recipe from Chef Daniel Boulud by amping it up with the more of the classic holiday spices. The result was perfect. It was creamy and pumpkin-y with a lovely crackle from the brûlée. The one thing I’d change is the size of the pumpkin, bump it up to 4-5″ because 3″ doesn’t quite hold enough. Happy fall, all!
Pumpkin Creme Brûlée - adapted from Chef Daniel Boulud
Ingredients:
4 miniature pumpkins, 3 inches diameter and 1 ½ inches high
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large egg yolks
¾ cup heavy cream
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean
1/2 cup pumpkin purée
¼ tsp. ground all spice
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
pinch of salt
Superfine sugar for brûlée
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the caps from the pumpkins about 1″ inch down from the top, and reserve. Scoop out the insides, leaving a 1/2 -inch-thick wall around the sides. Mix 1 tablespoon sugar and the cinnamon together, and sprinkle the inside of each pumpkin, wrap individually in aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and transfer to oven to roast for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup sugar and the egg yolks. Combine the cream, cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean in a saucepot, and bring to a simmer. Slowly whisk the hot cream into the yolk mixture through a fine-meshed sieve. Whisk in the pumpkin purée, ground all spice, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
Remove the pumpkins from the aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and fill each one with enough pumpkin-cream mixture to reach ¼ inch from the top. Return to the oven, and bake for 20 minutes. Check to see if the edges have set but the center is still wobbly; if the mixture is still liquid, return to oven for up to 20 minutes. (Ramekins can be used but should be placed in a water bath to cook). Cool at room temperature.
When ready to serve, sprinkle the tops of the pumpkins evenly with a thin layer of superfine sugar. Superfine will torch more evenly but if you don’t have it, you can substitute for granulated. Brûlée with a torch until the sugar is golden brown and crispy. Serve warm or at room temperature, with the pumpkin caps displayed on the side.
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