Break On Through to the Other Side

If crème brûlée isn’t the most enjoyable dessert to make and eat, then I don’t know what is. Unlike other treats that are out of sight when the fun happens (it’s pretty tedious to sit in front of the oven to watch a cake rise and darn near impossible to see ice cream set up in the freezer), crème brûlée gives you the chance to view, up close and personal, a chemical reaction.* And you get to use a blow torch.

From your basic vanilla bean to the exotic passion fruit and ginger, I’ve tried dozens of varieties of crème brûlée, but the one I enjoy the most is pumpkin. With delicate hints of spice and a creamy, luxurious interior, it’s the perfect January anecdote to those pesky New Years diet resolutions.

*Side note- To learn more than you need to know about the stages of caramelization, check out Table 1.

Pumpkin Crème Brûlée
Serves 4.

1 c. heavy cream
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
2 tbsp. white sugar, plus 4 tsp. reserved
4 large egg yolks
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ginger powder
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/2 c. mashed, cooked pumpkin

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Arrange 4, 4-6 oz. ramekins or custard cups in a large metal baking pan. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream, brown sugar, and white sugar. Bring to a bare simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they’re frothy and lemon-colored. Slowly add 1/4 cup of the hot cream mixture, whisking constantly. Transfer the egg mixture to the remaining hot cream, and whisk. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and pumpkin, and continue whisking until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl and then divide among the ramekins.

Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins in the pan. Bake until they’re just set (the center should jiggle slightly when the cup is tapped), about 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before covering with aluminum foil. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, sprinkle the top of each ramekin with 1 teaspoon of the remaining sugar, twirling the ramekin around in your hand to distribute the sugar evenly. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar and serve immediately.