Pumpkin Crème Brûlée

Something truly terrible happened this week. I had leftover cream and pumpkin purée at the same time. I know. Tragic. What’s a girl to do? I decided to face the tragedy head on and make Pumpkin Crème Brûlée. Okay, you got me. Crème brûlée also happens to be one of my very favorite desserts. The creamy, silky, rich custard protected by a shard of smooth smoked sugar glass just begging for me to crack it open. Yeah. I really like crème brûlée. But since it’s Thanksgiving prep time, and I had the pumpkin purée ready anyway, it was time to up the ante and make Pumpkin Crème Brûlée. The richness of the brown sugar, rather than white and a touch extra salt give the custard a caramel essence and the purée gives the custard a festive golden hue. Also, it afforded me the opportunity to break out my torch. I know. I shouldn’t really admit to owning a torch, but I do. So I may as well use it; besides, it’s really fun. And this is the month it comes in handy for all sorts of things. Crisping the skin of turkey that’s ready on the inside but you left the foil on too long. Meringue tops of sweet potato sides and desserts. Extra cream crème brûlées. Okay, maybe that’s about it. But still, it’s definitely handy for making Pumpkin Crème Brûlée.

1 ½ cups heaving whipping cream
3 egg yolks
½ cup pumpkin purée
¼ cup dark brown sugar
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla paste or seeds from ½ a pod or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt

torch or broiler

Preheat oven to 275° F. In a small saucepan, over medium low heat, bring the whipping cream to a simmer. Meanwhile, put on a kettle of water to boil. Just as cream starts to bubble, whisk in pumpkin purée. Heat for a minute or two more. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla paste. In a medium glass bowl, whisk brown sugar, egg yolks, and salt. Slowly whisk the cream mixture into the eggs, ¼ cup at a time until fully incorporated. If it seems lumpy to you, you may wish to strain it, but I never see this problem, and never add this step. Pour the custard into 4 ramekins. Set in a pyrex baking dish and place in the oven (you can do it on the counter too, just remember you have to transfer sloshing boiling water into the oven at some point). Pour the boiling water into the baking dish until the water is halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custard is just set (the center can still jiggle a little) 30-60 minutes. Remove from the water bath and cool on a wire rack. Once cooled to room temperature, refrigerate 4 hours to 3 days (covered with plastic wrap). To serve, sprinkle a teaspoon + granulated sugar over the custard and torch. No torch, no problem. Get your broiler very hot and place the custard under the broiler until the sugar melts and browns. It’s not as much fun, but it works just fine. Serve right away, while the custard is cold and the sugar is hot. Crack the crust and enjoy your tragedy.