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Pumpkin Creme Brûlée (Perfect Holiday Make-Ahead Dessert!)

This delicious Pumpkin Creme Brulee is a unique twist on the classic dessert, infusing the creamy custard with the rich flavors of pumpkin and autumn spices. It's a perfect make-ahead dessert for your holiday table, offering a sophisticated yet comforting end to your meal.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 6
Calories: 497 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ c heavy cream
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1 c canned pumpkin puree
  • ⅓ c brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ ground cardamom
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 tablespoon cane sugar

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
  2. Add heavy cream to a medium pot and heat until it starts to simmer but not boiling, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  3. In a large heat-proof bowl, whisk egg yolks, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and vanilla extract until combined. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream until the mixture is smooth.
  4. Place empty ramekins in a large rectangular baking dish and distribute the mixture evenly among the ramekins.
  5. Fill the baking dish with the boiling water halfway up the ramekins and carefully transfer it into the oven.
  6. Bake Creme Brulee for 50 minutes until it is set but slightly wobbly in the center.
  7. Carefully remove Creme Brulee from the oven and from the baking pan (I always use a thin spatula to lift the ramekins from the water-filled pan) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  8. When ready to serve, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cane sugar on top of Creme Brûlée and, using a culinary blowtorch, melt the sugar to create a brown crust. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Pumpkin puree. You can make your own pumpkin puree. However, it will take additional prep time as you'll need to roast and puree the pumpkin first. The canned pumpkin puree is a convenient and time-saving option.
  • Custard: To guarantee a smooth custard, slowly whisk in the hot heavy cream into the egg yolk mixture. This technique, called tempering, prevents the egg yolks from cooking and curdling.
  • Moving the ramekins into the oven: When transferring the baking dish filled with boiling water and ramekins into the oven, be careful to avoid spills. A spill can cause the water to seep into the ramekins and ruin your dessert.
  • Kitchen blowtorch. If you don't have a kitchen torch, you can use the broiler in your oven to create the sugar crust. Just be careful not to burn the sugar, and watch it closely as it browns.
  • Storage. Storing leftover pumpkin creme brulee in the fridge is quite simple. First, let the dessert cool down to room temperature, and make sure to remove the sugar crust if you've already bruléed the top. Then, tightly cover each ramekin with plastic wrap. These can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.
  • When you're ready to enjoy your refrigerated pumpkin creme brulee, take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about half an hour. 
  • After that, sprinkle a thin layer of sugar over the top of each ramekin. Use your kitchen torch to create a new sugar crust, or place the ramekins under a broiler for a couple of minutes. Keep a close eye on them to avoid burning!
  • Freezing. Unfortunately, freezing is not recommended for pumpkin creme brûlée. The custard mixture contains heavy cream and egg yolks, which tend to separate when frozen and then thawed, leading to a less-than-ideal texture.

Nutrition Information

Calories 497kcal (25%) Carbohydrates 31g (10%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 40g (62%) Saturated Fat 24g (120%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 11g Cholesterol 274mg (91%) Sodium 40mg (2%) Potassium 216mg (6%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 28g (56%) Vitamin A 8030IU (161%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 108mg (11%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 497

% Daily Value*

Calories 497kcal 25%
Carbohydrates 31g 10%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 40g 62%
Saturated Fat 24g 120%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 274mg 91%
Sodium 40mg 2%
Potassium 216mg 5%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 28g 56%
Vitamin A 8030IU 161%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 108mg 11%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.