Pumpkin Creme Brulee

Talk about a delicious dessert!  A couple of years ago my sister got me a subscription to a magazine called "Taste of Home".  I confess that while I love to read any and all cooking magazines, I didn't often cook from this one.  It was a bit too...church lady.  Lots of recipes began with cream of something soup or ended with crushed cracker toppings and the like.  Reasonable fat and calorie levels are generally unheard of.

In the November issue I spotted this recipe and knew I needed to find an excuse to make it. Granted, the calorie levels aren't so great, but it is dessert.  At least it contains no mixes and especially no cream of anything soup! I had signed up to take dessert to the women's group at church where pumpkin desserts were requested, but we went on vacation instead.  I was at quilt guild the night a friend had the whole gang over to her house for hanging out and eating pumpkin desserts.  Book club!  That was my last hope.  The hostess graciously let me take dessert.  She is an awesome baker so it was really nice of her to let me do some baking of my own.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it and conversation pretty much stopped when the treats were pulled out.  That is always a good sign that people like what they are eating!

About the top.  Once upon a time my nice husband bought me one of those fancy little torches that cooking catalogs sell. What a waste of money. The darn thing spit fuel atop our desserts, took forever to melt the sugar let alone carmelize it, and frequently ran out of fuel halfway through requiring a fill up that never seemed to work well. I eventually gave up and went to the hardware store and bought a blow torch. The thing is easy to operate and only cost $20.  Less than the fancy thing and much more effective. The only trick is getting to be the one to use it.  It's so fun that everyone in the house will want a chance to try it.

Pumpkin Creme Brulee

This recipe is from the November 2009 issue of Taste of Home magazine.  

I found it made 9 - 4 oz servings.

8 egg yolks

1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided

3 cups heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon each ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves

In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar. In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat until bubbles form around sides of pan. Remove from the heat; stir a small amount of hot cream into egg yolk mixture. Return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Stir in the pumpkin, vanilla and spices.

Transfer to eight 6-oz. ramekins or custard cups. Place ramekins in a baking pan; add 1 in. of boiling water to pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 25-30 minutes or until centers are just set (mixture will jiggle). Remove ramekins from water bath; cool for 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

If using a creme brulee torch, sprinkle with remaining sugar. Heat sugar with the torch until caramelized. Serve immediately.

printable version - cremebrulee.pdf

-- marcella