Pumpkin Creme Brûlée

While "pumpkin" and "sugar" can be phrases heard amongst lovers and couples, this duo goes far beyond an exchange of pet names. I'm sharing a pumpkin creme brûlée recipe today because pumpkin spice lattes are enjoyable, but I've got another way for you to get your fix when it comes to sugar and seasonally-appropriate indulgences. No ramekins? No problem. These creme brûlées are baked in miniature pumpkins, acting as the perfect individual serving. That being said, I ate both of them with ease.

The recipe I used was originally not formulated for use inside of a pumpkin but after looking over a few recipes that were used for this intent I realized there was little differentiation from the current pumpkin brûlée recipe that I had on hand. So I stuck with the tried and true.

Pumpkin Brûlée

Pumpkin Brûlée

Pumpkin Brûlée

Pumpkin Brûlée

The Recipe: Pumpkin Creme Brûlée

2 each Miniature Pumpkins

3/4 cup Granulated Sugar

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

3 each Egg Yolks

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1 each Cinnamon Stick

1 each Vanilla bean

7 ounces Pumpkin Puree

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Cut the tops off of the miniature pumpkins. Scrape out the inside of the pumpkins, leaving about 3/4 of an inch on the sides.

3. Combine 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg in a small mixing bowl. Once combined, coat the inside of the pumpkins with this mixture. This should look very similar to how you would go about flouring the inside of a cake pan.

4. Once coated, wrap the pumpkins in foil and bake on a sheet pan for 30 minutes.

(p.s. your house is about to smell amazing!)

4. While your pumpkins are roasting you can begin to make your creme brûlée filling. In a saucepan, combine one cup of heavy whipping cream with one cinnamon stick and one vanilla bean. Heat on high until mixture comes to a boil.

5. In a mixing bowl, whisk together three egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar.

6. Once the heavy cream comes to a boil, slowly temper the hot cream into the egg and sugar mixture. This can be done by adding a small amount at a time while whisking vigorously. Run the brûlée mixture through a fine mesh sieve to be sure you did not curdle any egg during this process.

7. Once the pumpkins have baked for thirty minutes, remove from oven and unwrap the foil. Your pumpkins may have excess moisture in the bottom at this point, discard this.

8. Pour your creme brûlée mixture into the baked pumpkins. You can fill them to the brim since these will not be rising while in the oven.

9. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees on a sheet tray for 40-45 minutes. The end result should be a slightly firm outer wall, while the center still jiggles when shaken gently.

10. Allow to cool in the refrigerator until firm.

11. Coat the top in granulated sugar and torch with a handheld kitchen torch until the top is caramelized. Do not be afraid of achieving color at this point, the words creme brûlée literally translate to "burnt sugar".

Things to think about:

- I had two pumpkins that were approximately 3-4 inches wide. If you are using a different size you may need to adjust the bake time.

- You don't have a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean laying around? No problem! You can substitute ground cinnamon and vanilla extract here without issue.

This recipe also acts as an excuse to go check out your local pumpkin patch and drink copious amounts of apple cider. You're welcome.