To be completely honest, I’m not really into the whole fall pumpkin-everything craze. It’s a good flavor, don’t get me wrong. But I think it should be enjoyed in moderation. As in maybe a couple recipes per season! This one is definitely a winner though. This dessert is basically what it would taste like if Pumpkin Pie and Creme Brulee had a baby.
The key to making a successful creme brulee is just having a bit of patience. You need to let the cream mixture cool before whisking it into the eggs or you’ll end up scrambling them. You also have to mix them in very slow, only adding a bit at a time. It’s annoying but 100% mandatory. You’ll be thankful you exercised patience when you taste the finished product!
You’ll also need a kitchen torch and ramekin dishes to cook them in. I received a creme brulee set as a gift which is how I acquired the torch and these 4 ramekins, but if I were purchasing again, I’d buy them separately because the ramekins only hold about 2 ounces of liquid which is pretty small. 4 oz ramekins would work better. Here are some Amazon links to items I would purchase:
Once you have all the necessary items, you can begin making these bad boys. Start by heating cream and fresh vanilla scraped out of the pod over medium high heat. Yes, you can use extract but don’t be mad at me when it’s not as good….
While that’s heating, I mix together the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl with a pouring spout. (this will be helpful later) You want to whisk them together until the color lightens a bit.
Then you can add in the canned pumpkin and spices. Set aside.
Once your cream mixture comes to a boil, remove it from the heat and let it sit for 15 minutes. This is very important because the cream needs to cool down before you go whisking it into the egg yolk mixture. It might have a little film on top when it finishes resting but just whisk that out.
SLOWLY mix the cream into the egg yolk mixture. At first I literally just put a couple splashes in there. The first few pours are crucial. This is called tempering and you can ruin it in a hot minute. If you’re worried about it, just go even slower than you initially thought. After you’re done combining them, there may be a layer of foam on top from all the whisking, spoon that off.
Now use the spout of the bowl to pour the mixture into your ramekins. Put the ramekins in the bottom of a roasting pan so you can cook them in a water bath.
From here, you just bake them until the custard is set. It will still be slightly jiggly in the middle but still set for the most part. Once they’re done, let them cool on the counter for about 15-30 minutes, then refrigerate them for 2 hours.
When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle an even layer of sugar over the top of each. The best sugar to use for this is superfine sugar because it caramelizes quickly. But I just used regular sugar because it’s what I had on hand.
Now grab that kitchen torch and torch away until you have a caramelized crust on top.
I added whipped cream, candied pecans, and a touch of cinnamon to the top of mine, but that’s completely unnecessary. The custard is so good on it’s own! I love the creamy texture of this dessert and it’s overindulgent rich flavor. It’s also perfect for a dinner party since you can make it ahead.
Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
To Brulee the top:
- 1/3 cup superfine sugar, or granulated
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine the cream and vanilla pod and scraped seeds. Bring mixture to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil turn heat off and set pan aside to let the cream be infused with the vanilla for about 10-15 minutes, while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.
- In a medium bowl with a pouring spout, combine egg yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar. Whisk until mixture is light in color. Add pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice to yolk mixture and mix until combined.
- Remove the vanilla pod from the saucepan and slowly incorporate the cream into the egg yolk mixture. Start with just a few splashes at a time, whisking constantly. Then incorporate about 1/4 cup each time, until mixture is completely mixed.
- Pour mixture evenly into 6 ramekins (4 oz. ramekins). Place ramekins in a roasting pan and pour hot water in the roasting pan until you reach about halfway of the ramekins height, to make a water bath.
- Bake in pre-heated oven for about 35-40 minutes until creme brulee is set and slightly jiggly.
- Remove and let it cool down. Refrigerate creme brulee until set, about 2 hours
- When ready to serve, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of sugar over each creme brulee and make sure it’s an even layer. Torch the top evenly with circular motion until all the sugar is melted and slightly caramelized. Let it sit for a few minutes before cracking the top.
