Pumpkin Creme Brulee

You’ll Need:
2 ½ cups heavy cream
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on top to brulee
1 teaspoon vanilla
7 egg yolks
1 cup pumpkin puree
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla.  Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat.  In a medium bowl whisk 7 egg yolks until they are thick and pale yellow.  Slowly add about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly.  Then add this mixture back into the cream and continue whisking.  Stir in the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  Strain through a very fine sieve, discarding any pumpkin pulp.  This step is very important if you want a smooth crème brulee, rather than a denser pumpkin custard.

Place crème brulee ramekins or custard cups in a large metal roasting pan.  Divide the mixture between the cups.  Add hot water to the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the ramekins.

Bake the custards until they are set in the center, about 45 minutes.  Remove from the pan and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight.

Sprinkle each custard with sugar and torch until the sugar melts and caramelizes.