Pumpkin Maple Creme Brulee

Silky smooth pumpkin creme brûlée is sweetened with maple syrup and filled with warm spices. This elegant (yet easy) dessert will leave your holiday guests wanting more.

Today we are throwing a surprise virtual bridal shower for a special friend!! Nora from A Clean Bake is getting married next month and a few of her online buddies are showering her in bridal desserts and well wishes, wishing we could celebrate with her in person! If you don’t know Nora, she is one of the sweetest and nicest bloggers out there and her passion for clean baking is so inspiring. I love her blog and recipes. She is a baking rockstar!

I found out recently that Nora and I have one more thing in common (you know, besides our love for baking!!). She watches Scandal and makes sweet treats to enjoy while watching! I’ve had a weekly Grey’s night with my girlfriends for as long as I can remember. It’s our time of the week to get together, to catch up, eat and watch our favorite shows. It started with Grey’s, then Private Practice and now Scandal!! With only two of us still in the same city, our tradition hasn’t died and I still bake for us every week.

A few weeks ago, I made this pumpkin maple creme brûlée for us to enjoy as we watched the season premiere of Scandal. This seasonal pumpkin maple creme brulee is a creamy silky custard with warm spices and sweet maple syrup that’s just so indulgent.

I love creme brulee and I am so happy I tried making it at home. Making creme brulee is very easy as I found out a few months ago when I tried it for the first time in this vanilla bean creme brulee. It’s just whipping up a basic custard (egg yolks, cream and sweetener) and baking it until set. In this case, I added some pumpkin puree, spices and maple syrup to the custard. Chill custard overnight and when ready to serve, sprinkle with sugar.

Using a kitchen torch, you melt the sugar for that classic crunch topping. See? Easy! But don’t get carried away with the flame and burn your sugar (like I did!!). The result is a creamy, sweet and spiced custard full of pumpkin flavor!

Nora, I hope you can try this sometime (with coconut milk!).  Congratulations on your wedding in advance!! Wishing you a beautiful and special day 🙂 You are going to be a beautiful bride!! Many many happy years to you and the hubs!

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Yield: 4 servings

Pumpkin Maple Creme Brulee

Silky smooth pumpkin creme brûlée is sweetened with maple syrup and filled with warm spices. This elegant (yet easy) dessert will leave your holiday guests wanting more.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream (or 2 cups full fat coconut milk) 6 large egg yolks ⅓ cup maple syrup ½ cup pumpkin puree 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground ginger ⅛ teaspoon cloves ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg Topping: ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 2 cups heavy cream (or 2 cups full fat coconut milk)
• 6 large egg yolks
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon cloves
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Place the heavy cream in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until cream starts foaming around the edges. Do not boil. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, whip the egg yolks and maple syrup until pale yellow in color and slightly thickened. Whip in the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract and spices. While stirring constantly, gradually add the hot cream mixture into the eggs mixture. Add the cream slowly to avoid cooking the eggs. Mix until combined.
4. Pour equal amounts into 4 ramekins (6 ounces each). Transfer ramekins to baking pans (9-inch or bigger) and fill baking pans with hot water about halfway up the sides of ramekins.
5. Bake custards until set but still jiggly in the center, about 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on cooling rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
6. When ready to serve (and only then), sprinkle each ramekin with about 1 tablespoon granulated or turbinado sugar. Using a torch, melt the sugar until golden brown. Or using an oven set to broil, broil for 30 seconds to a minute to melt the sugar. Be careful not to burn the sugar.
7. Let cool until the sugar hardens.

Thank you Meriem for organizing this for Nora!! Here are all the wonderful ladies celebrating Nora today. Be sure to check the out and stop by A Clean Bake to congratulate Nora!