Pumpkin Crème Brûlée in Mini Pumpkins
A creamy pumpkin-spiced custard baked in hollowed mini pumpkins and finished with a caramelized sugar crust. Perfect for fall, this elegant dessert balances rich texture, autumnal aromatics, and a striking presentation.
Ingredients
- 4 mini pie pumpkins or 4-ounce ramekins (top removed, seeded, pulp removed)
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar (plus more for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Hollow out pumpkins, ensuring they hold 4 ounces.
- Whisk heavy cream, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt in a large bowl.
- Temper egg yolks: Whisk 4 egg yolks with ½ cup sugar until pale. Gradually add warm cream mixture, whisking constantly to avoid curdling.
- Strain mixture into a bowl and chill for 4 hours until well-firmed.
- Line a baking dish with hot water (bain-marie). Place pumpkins in the dish, fill with custard, and bake 90 minutes until just set.
- Cool to room temperature, then chill uncovered at least 1 hour.
- Before serving, sprinkle ½ teaspoon sugar per pumpkin and caramelize with a torch or under a broiler.
Notes
Substitute ramekins if pumpkins are unavailable.
Custard must be fully chilled to hold caramelization.
For best results, caramelized sugar should be applied to custard at room temperature.
Chill pumpkins with custard overnight for optimal texture.
Custard must be fully chilled to hold caramelization.
For best results, caramelized sugar should be applied to custard at room temperature.
Chill pumpkins with custard overnight for optimal texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 6gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 350mgSodium: 40mgSugar: 28g
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