Silky custard infused with pumpkin purée and warm spices, topped with caramelized sugar crust.
Custard must chill for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before brûléeing; cold custard ensures the sugar crust sets properly. When tempering egg yolks, add hot cream mixture very slowly while whisking constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
If using a broiler instead of a torch, watch constantly—sugar can burn in seconds. Brûlée the custards just before serving so the caramelized sugar stays crisp.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- ¾ cup pumpkin purée (unsweetened canned or fresh)
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 5 egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar (divided: 1/4 cup for custard, 1/4 cup for brûlée topping)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 0.125 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- ¾ cup pumpkin purée (unsweetened canned or fresh)
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 5 egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar (divided: 1/4 cup for custard, 1/4 cup for brûlée topping)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 0.125 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
Heat cream, milk, and pumpkin
Combine heavy cream (1 ½ cup), whole milk (½ cup), and pumpkin purée (¾ cup) in a medium saucepan.
Whisk in ground cinnamon (1 teaspoon), ground ginger (½ teaspoon), ground nutmeg (¼ teaspoon), and ground cloves (0.13 teaspoon).
Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until steaming but not boiling.
Equipment: medium saucepan, whisk, roasting pan or baking dish
Temper and combine egg yolks
In a separate bowl, whisk 5 large egg yolks with granulated sugar (¼ cup) until pale and thick, about 2 minutes.
Slowly pour the hot pumpkin cream into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the yolks.
Whisk in vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) and salt (¼ teaspoon).
Equipment: whisk
Strain and pour custard
Pour the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or measuring cup, pressing gently to remove any lumps.
Divide the strained custard evenly among four 6 oz ramekins.
Equipment: fine-mesh strainer, four 6 oz ramekins
Bake in water bath
Preheat oven to 325°F. Place ramekins in a roasting pan and add hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake until the custard is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center, 25–30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and water bath; cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Equipment: four 6 oz ramekins, roasting pan or baking dish
Brûlée and serve
Remove ramekins from the refrigerator. Sprinkle 1 tbsp granulated sugar evenly over the surface of each custard.
Using a kitchen torch, hold the flame 2–3 inches above the sugar and move it in small circles until the sugar is golden amber and caramelized.
Let the brûlée cool for 1–2 minutes until the crust hardens, then serve immediately.
Equipment: kitchen torch, four 6 oz ramekins
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Custard must chill for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before brûléeing; cold custard ensures the sugar crust sets properly.
- • When tempering egg yolks, add hot cream mixture very slowly while whisking constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
- • If using a broiler instead of a torch, watch constantly—sugar can burn in seconds.
- • Brûlée the custards just before serving so the caramelized sugar stays crisp.
- • For best results, use a kitchen torch held 2–3 inches from the sugar surface, moving it in small circles until the sugar is golden amber.
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