Pumpkin Creme Brulee

Well I went looking for the recipe that I used for the creme brulee so that I could add it to the blog.  It seems to have disappeared in the floating piles of paper on the counter and so I will attempt to recreate it.  I started with an Emeril recipe that I found online and spiced up at bit.

Pumpkin Creme Brulee

2 cups cream

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

8 lg egg yolks

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon 

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp allspice

1/8 tsp cloves

1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin

raw sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 328.

Combine cream, white and brown sugar in heavy pan and bring to a bare simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat.

In medium bowl whisk yolks until frothy and lemon-colored.  Slowly add 3/4 cup of hot cream mixture, whisking constantly.  Add egg mixture to remaining hot cream and whisk. Add, vanilla, spices, and pumpkin, whisk until smooth.  Strain through a fine mesh strainer and divide among 8 half cup ramekins.  Place ramekins in a large metal baking pan lined with a towel. Add enough hot water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the ramekins.  Bake until the custards are just set in the center but not stiff, 45 to 55 minutes.  Remove from oven and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Sprinkle each custard with 1/2 tsp of raw sugar.  Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar. Chill 30 or 45 minutes (no more) and Serve.