MANZANITA MARKET

Manzanita Grocery & Deli "The Little Apple"

Recipe: Pumpkin Creme Brulee

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I know that any time I get to combine tools from the garage with food in the kitchen it’s going to be a lot of fun. Now, that being said, if you are not comfortable using a propane torch to carmelize  the sugar you can just carefully broil in the oven for a similar effect.  Nothing like the sweet, carmely, crackly topping on the smooth creamy custard!

Recipe: Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: RedSpiralHand
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
Note: you can either use canned pumpkin or cook and blend up a puree with your favorite winter squash. We like to use local sweet meat squash or our home-grown honey bear squash from our garden.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups organic half & half
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 6 egg yolks (I use jumbo Zweifel Farm’s Eggs)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin (or winter squash) puree
  • 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • (OR 3/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/8 tsp. ground cloves)
  • 2-3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
Instructions
  1. First:
  2. Put a full tea kettle on to boil. And preheat the oven to 325-degrees (F).
  3. Directions:
  4. In a small saucepan, combine half & half and vanilla. Put over medium-low heat to warm.
  5. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 6 egg yolks, pumpkin puree, spices and brown sugar.
  6. When the half & half mixture is just hot enough to have bubbles around the outside edge of the pan, but is not boiling (it can curdle), remove from the heat. Pour in a thin stream into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly.
  7. Pour into 6 oven-safe ramekins (or you can use an 8×8 baking dish) arranged in a 9×13 cake pan or a roasting pan.
  8. Set the pan on the oven rack, and carefully pour boiling water into the pan around the ramekins–careful not to get the water into the custards.
  9. Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes. Custard should be lightly set.
  10. Carefully remove the ramekins from the pan and place on a rack to cool. They may be made a day ahead of time and placed in the refrigerator overnight. (Let the hot water cool in the larger pan before removing it from the oven to prevent scalds!)
  11. Before Serving
  12. When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle 2-3 tsp. granulated sugar over the top, evenly, lightly covering the whole surface of the custard.
  13. Use a kitchen torch to carmelize the sugar until it’s bubbling and light brown being sure to move the torch constantly to achieve even results. (You may also carmelize the sugar under an oven broiler, watching carefully to avoid burning, if you don’t have a torch.)
  14. Serve immediately.
  15. Yield: Six 1/2 cup custards or 1 – 8 x 8″ baking dish