Sugar Pie Pumpkin Crème Brûlée
I love this simple and elegant dessert as an alternative to the usual pumpkin pie for the holidays. It is deeply satisfying to roast your own pumpkin and as a bonus, you’ll have leftover purée to make soup or maybe some warm pumpkin bread. You may, however, substitute organic canned pumpkin in a pinch.
Ingredients
Preparation
NotesIngredients
- 1 small sugar pie pumpkin Add to list
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream Add to list
- 5 egg yolks Add to list
- 1 cup unrefined sugar, divided Add to list
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Add to list
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon Add to list
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger Add to list
- Pinch of ground clove Add to list
Preparation
For the pumpkin purée:
Up to 2 days in advance: Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut the pumpkin in half crosswise and place it, cut side down, on a baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Allow to cool, scoop out the seeds, and then scoop out the flesh of the pumpkin and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the custard crèmes:
Up to 1 day in advance: Preheat oven to 350° F. In a saucepan, heat the cream to a simmer. Combine the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar in a large bowl and beat well. Add about a quarter of the hot cream to the yolks to temper them and then pour in the rest of the cream. Stir in the vanilla, spices and 1/2 cup of the pumpkin purée.
Fill 6 to 8 ovenproof ramekins with the mixture and place in a casserole dish. Pour boiling water around the dishes to a depth of about 1 inch. Bake for about 20 minutes or until very lightly set (the custard should still “shimmy” slightly). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
For the brûlée:
Up to 1 day in advance: Preheat oven to 350° F. In a saucepan, heat the cream to a simmer. Combine the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar in a large bowl and beat well. Add about a quarter of the hot cream to the yolks to temper them and then pour in the rest of the cream. Stir in the vanilla, spices and 1/2 cup of the pumpkin purée.
Just before serving: Sprinkle the custards with the remaining sugar, distributing it evenly over the surface. Place under a broiler until the sugar caramelizes or use a torch.
Notes
Note: If using a broiler to caramelize the sugar on top, place the ramekins in a casserole dish and surround with ice cubes to keep them cool.
Recipe by , PCC Chef
Source: PCC Fresh, November 2009
ABOUT OUR CHEF: Lynne Vea
Lynne Vea is a graduate of the Executive Chef Program at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris and has been cooking with PCC Natural Markets since 2001. Featured on King-5’s "Gardening with Ciscoe," she demonstrates easy and delicious recipes using seasonal ingredients.
Lynne is an admired PCC Cooks instructor, teaching a variety of popular PCC Cooks classes throughout the year.
She loves to collect old cookbooks, hunt for wild berries, and cook seven-course dinners where the guests are encouraged to dance and cavort between courses.
Find more recipes from Lynne.
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