Looking for a dessert to please pumpkin lovers that isn’t pie? This pumpkin creme brulee is sure to satisfy their pumpkin cravings and more. Simple to prepare and practical to make in advance, it’ll become your pumpkin-season crowd-pleaser par excellence. Many people shy away from creme brulee because it looks and sounds complicated, but it couldn’t be easier. Just five ingredients and very little hands-on time yields a silky-smooth dessert with a luscious flavour that will surprise and delight.
Related: Pumpkin S’mores Sheet Cake is the Fall Dessert to Make This Season
Special equipment:
4 x 125 ml (½ cup) ramekins (5″ (12 cm) diameter and 1″ (2.5 cm) deep)
Deep-sided baking dish (that will fit all the ramekins inside)
Kitchen blow torch (optional)
Related: These Pumpkin Pie Squares With Candied Pecans is the Fall Dessert You’ve Been Craving
Love Mardi’s pumpkin creme brulee? Try her mixed berry galettes next!
ingredients
directions
Chill time: 2 hours 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 300˚F and set a full kettle to boil. Place the ramekins inside a deep-sided baking dish.
Whisk the egg yolks and ⅓ cup sugar in a medium bowl or pot until the mixture starts to thicken slightly and become pale. Set aside.
Mix the cream and spice mix together in a small jug or pot and heat until the milk is just about boiling (bubbles will start to form around the edge of the liquid) either on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Whisking gently but continually, add about ¼ cup of the hot cream to the egg mixture. Once this is combined, add the rest of the hot cream into the egg mixture, gently whisking until thoroughly incorporated.
Add the pumpkin purée to the cream and egg mixture and whisk gently to combine.
Strain the combined mixture using a metal sieve over a jug to ensure it’s smooth and lump-free.
Pour the mixture into the ramekins.
Carefully pour the hot water (from the kettle) into the bottom of the baking dish until it’s about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake the custards for about 35 minutes (they might still be a tiny bit jiggly in the centre) and remove from oven.
Allow to come to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled (2 hours).
Once completely chilled, remove from fridge and sprinkle about ½ Tbsp granulated sugar on top of each of the custards (it needs to be a thick layer, not just a sprinkle).
Use a kitchen blow torch to caramelize the sugar to a hard caramel (alternatively you can do this under a broiler, but keep an eye on it!).
Serve once the caramel tops are cool (about 3 minutes).
