Pumpkin Crème Brûlée – An elegant fall dessert that is a showstopper! Made by baking a simple homemade pumpkin custard in a ramekin and then caramelizing sugar on top with a blow torch.
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée
I promised myself a few weeks ago that I was done with pumpkin for the season…. and that turned out to be a lie! After having the most AMAZING smoked salted caramel creme brulee at a local restaurant. It inspired me to pull out the kitchen blow torch that I got a few years ago and make creme brulee at home. I decided to make it pumpkin flavored because I thought the earthiness of pumpkin would be delicious paired with the creamy custard and I wasn’t wrong! It’s perfect together!
Common Questions About Making Pumpkin Crème Brûlée
What is pumpkin creme brulee?
Pumpkin creme brulee is a baked custard dessert made with the addition of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to give it flavor. It is baked in a ramekin and then bruleed before serving by blow torching sugar on top.
How many servings does this recipe make?
This recipe makes 8 individual servings.
How big of a ramekin should I use?
You can use almost any kind of ramekin to make creme brulee but I’ve found that ramekins shorter than 1.5” cook more evenly.
How long does creme brulee last?
Creme brulee can be made up to 48 hours in advance– just keep the ramekins covered in the fridge and then continue with step 9 when you’re ready to serve!
Do I need a kitchen blowtorch?
While I suggest a kitchen blowtorch for this recipe, I have read that people have found good success broiling creme brulee for just a few minutes (like, 5-7 minutes). You have to watch it SUPER carefully to keep them from burning. That being said, kitchen blowtorches are pretty cheap so consider getting one if you can!
What other varieties of creme brulee can I make?
Some other versions to try are –
- Maple Creme Brulee
- Coffee Creme Brulee
- Chocolate Creme Brulee
Ingredient Notes –
- Heavy whipping cream must be used in creme brulee – lower fat milks won’t set the same way.
- Egg yolks create a thick, rich custard.
- Granulated sugar sweetens the creme brulee and forms the crisp layer on top.
- Pumpkin puree ads pumpkin flavor and orange color to the creme brulee.
- Pumpkin pie spice adds warmth and earthiness – and classic pumpkin flavor. If you don’t have any, you can substitute 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- Vanilla bean paste adds vanilla flavor and little specks of vanilla caviar to the creme brulee. If you don’t have any, feel free to substitute 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or the caviar from one vanilla bean.
Looking for more pumpkin recipes? Check these out!
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée - An elegant fall dessert that is a showstopper! Made by baking a simple homemade pumpkin custard in a ramekin and then caramelizing sugar on top with a blow torch.
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (divided)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add the heavy cream to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Heat just until the cream begins to steam - but make sure it doesn't boil!
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 1 cup sugar. Whisk until the egg yolks are pale yellow - about 2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the hot cream, stirring constantly, so the eggs don't scramble.
- Next, add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla bean paste. Whisk to combine.
- Divide the mixture between 8 (6 ounces) ramekins and place the ramekins in a baking dish. Fill the dish with water until it goes half way up the ramekins.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the creme brulee are fully set in the center.
- Remove from the oven and allow the creme brulee to cool to room temperature. Then, transfer them to the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours.
- To serve, sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of granulated sugar over the creme brulee and toast the top with a kitchen torch. The key to an even brulee is to hold the torch a few inches away from the top of the brulee and move it in a circular motion around the ramekins.
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