Monday, October 24, 2011

pumpkin crème brûlée

Check out the accents on the letters in the title of this post. I'm always so proud of  myself when I remember how to do those. Honors French class for the win!  =)

Okay, so I don't know if I've told you before, but crème brûlée is my favorite dessert. Like EVER.

I think I like it better than ice-cream. Actually, I don't know if that's true because crème brûlée and ice-cream are like the same thing, right? Eggs, cream, sugar, and different flavors? Yea, same thing. So I like them both the same.

The cream in crème
Anyways, typically I only like the traditional vanilla variety, but a couple of weeks ago my colleagues and I had pumpkin crème brûlée at a work luncheon and it was delicious!

I decided to try and recreate it for a dinner I had to attend last night and it went over fabulously!

The pumpkin  flavor is pronounced but not overpowering, and the spices are incredibly complementary.

So that's the story of my pumpkin brûlée. It's uber sophisticated yet incredibly easy, so give it a try this season!

On another note; I'm getting fat (ter).  Between blogging, numerous work luncheons and conferences, and the fact that I enjoy food way too much, my pants are getting tight.


I don't want to pay for a gym membership so I recently purchased 30 Day Shred and am going to give it a whirl. Has anybody tried it or used some other form of exercise DVD that won't make me feel like I want to die? I want to feel empowered after a workout, not like I hate my life and want to eat crème brûlée after.

I figured I should also begin eating cleaner so I plan on going shopping and buying some healthier food options. I don't eat terrible now, but I could always improve.

Hmm. I'll let you know how it works out or if anything great comes out of this...ech.



Pumpkin C
rème Brûlée

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 8 egg yolks
  • 1 cup of sugar plus more for sprinkling on tops
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees

2. Add milk and heavy cream to a saucepan. Split vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the milk mixture along with the vanilla extract. Add cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.

3. Place saucepan over medium and mix until it bubbles around the edges, but not boiling.

4. Remove from heat when it starts bubbling and let it cool. 

5. While cooling, mix egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl until blended. When the milk mixture is cool,  slowly add a tablespoon at a time of the milk mixture to the egg mixture to temper the eggs. When  tempered, add the rest  of the milk mixture and mix thoroughly.

6. Add pumpkin puree and whisk until blended. Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer to get a smooth base and then fill 8oz ramekins with the mixture.

7. Set the filled ramekins in a water bath and place in the oven for 35-45 minutes until fim around the edges but still kind  of jiggly in  the center.

8. Remove ramekins from the water bath and let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes and then place into the fridge to set for 4 hours up to overnight.

9. When ready to serve the crème brûlée, sprinkle sugar on top and torch or broil until the sugar hardens and caramelizes. Serve immediately!

18 comments:

  1. I just recently tried crème brûlée and I loved it! I don't know if I'm brave enough to try and make it at home though! Can't you just overnight me some! LOL!! : )

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  2. Love, love, love crème brûlée!!! My mouth is watering!

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  3. i don't like pumpkin but wow this looks amazing! i am so impressed with all the stuff you make!

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  4. "On another note, I'm getting fatter." I'm sorry, but I just had to laugh at that one. Thanks for your honesty. I always wonder how people post incredible looking desserts like red velvet pancakes and pumpkin creme brulee (sorry, no French accents for this gal. I took Spanish:) and avoid weight gain. I have the solution: Just make your desserts, don't eat them, and send them all to me. Problem solved!

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  5. Oh my goodness this looks so good. I can only imagine that your pants are getting a little tight with tasty items like this in your life!! I have to confess I have the 30 day shred but have never used it. I know I should change that.

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  6. @Faith Thanks so much, Faith! :)

    @Much to My Delight LOL! I def need to start doing that!

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  7. LOVE IT..
    Creme brulee is mt favorite too girl....
    these babies look fantastic.....
    Yumm

    P.S Those little french accents on the letters do look sexy, i always forget them LOL

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  8. How did I miss this post?!

    This is definitely going to be my "main stage" Thanksgiving dessert for sure :)

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  9. Oh wow, this looks incredible. A new go to favorite in fact. I love the idea of adding pumpkin to a classic dessert! you rock

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  10. This looks fantastic! How many servings was this? I'm guessing 6 ramekins...

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  11. @Mary
    Hi Mary! I only made 6 ramekins full, but there was enough filling for 10.

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  12. crème brûlée, even the name is so tempting. Well if its any consolation I ain't getting thinnner by the day either.

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  13. I've never tried pumpkin creme brulee before. Sounds even better than regular creme brulee! And talking about gaining weight, I think I gained 7 lbs since I started blogging this year. Crazy! I don't have time to do exercise but I need to do something about this.... And I'm not even making many sweets or bake! Imagine if I do...probably easily 20 lbs! >_<

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  14. Yummmy.. I love creme-brlee but never thought it existed this way..yummy...This is a really awesome .. Love it :)) Officially following ya with smiles..Lovely creative blog you have here..Found you over at Mrs pancakes..I'm Marilyn and would LOVE for you to stop in and visit sometime..Great creative blog you have here :)) http://theartsygirlconnection.blogspot.com -- Wishing you a lovely weekend..

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  15. Oh my, I just started drooling! Looks amaing :)

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