This Pumpkin Creme Brulee will taste as if you’ve been preparing the dessert all day. Luscious pumpkin flavor and a unique spice blend will infuse your creme brulee custard with the utmost creaminess. The sugar crust will add to the luxuriousness of this pumpkin creme brulee that you can whip up at home in no time at all!
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About Pumpkin Creme Brulee
There is a reason that creme brulee is on the dessert menu in so many restaurants. Yet, how often do we ever think about making our own creme brulee at home?
Fall is coming, and perhaps like me, you are desperate for a new way to showcase pumpkin in your baking! I'm always so excited discover new pumpkin recipes, like these yummy pumpkin pie bars or these amazing pumpkin turnovers. Similarly, I think this Pumpkin creme brulee is the perfect opportunity to create a beautiful dish that can be prepped in minutes!
🍽 Creme Brulee Tools
Pumpkin creme brulee can be made in specialized creme brulee dishes like I used in this recipe or just about any ramekins. I prefer the more shallow dishes, since the wider the dish, the more sugar crust you get to crack into with a dessert spoon and enjoy!
In order to create the creme brulee sugar crust after the baking, you can use a small culinary blow torch to light up the sugar until it bubbles and darkens into a hardened crust. It’s a whole lot of fun. However, if you wish to make creme brulee without a torch, you can also broil it in the oven once the sugar has been added to the top.
Beyond that, you can whip up the creme brulee with any deep dish tray, a measuring cup, a sauce pan, and a whisk. Using a mixer is not needed and you won’t miss the clean up either. There’s nothing stopping you...so let’s make pumpkin creme brulee!
🥘 Ingredients
- egg yolks
- dark brown sugar
- heavy cream
- pumpkin puree
- vanilla extract
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- allspice
- cardamom
- ginger
- salt
- granulated sugar or Turbinado sugar for sugar crust
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Combine the salt and spices.
- Whisk brown sugar and egg yolks.
- Heat the heavy cream and vanilla extract.
- Add the cream mixture into the egg/sugar mixture.
- Add in pumpkin puree and spice mix until combined and strain.
- Pour liquid into ramekins and place into a deep tray.
- Fill the tray halfway up with boiling water.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Cool the brulee completely.
- Once at room temperature, sprinkle the sugar (granulated or Turbinado) over brulee and torch to create the hard sugar crust.
💭Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to keep whisking the egg and brown sugar mixture while slowly pouring in the warmed heavy cream. The last thing you want is pumpkin creme brulee scrambled eggs, and taking the time to perform this step correctly will guarantee a smooth custard.
- Space the ramekins apart in the tray and pour the boiling water in slowly and from the corner, so you don’t splash any hot water into the ramekins. If preferred, you can also place the tray with ramekins into the oven and pour the water in then, so you don’t have to move the tray after the water is poured.
- In case you are leaving the creme brulee in the refrigerator overnight (or for four hours or more), make sure to leave the ramekins out for 10-15 minutes before you torch or broil your sugar crust. If the ramekins are too cold, you risk cracking them with the hot torch/hot temperature.
FAQs
How do you make pumpkin creme brulee without a torch?
Once the sugar is added, set your oven to broil and place the ramekins on a baking sheet in the oven for approximately five minutes. Watch the oven closely and take out once the sugar crust is darker and bubbling evenly.
How do you make pumpkin spice creme brulee?
In this recipe, we use a combination of cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, and ginger. Feel free to adjust to your own taste. Pumpkin creme brulee with just cinnamon or cinnamon and nutmeg is fine too. You can even purchase pre-made pumpkin spice if you want to make things even easier!
How do you make instant pot pumpkin creme brulee?
Once the creme brulee is ready to be baked, cover each ramekin with aluminum foil and place into the Instant Pot on a trivet or baking sling. Add a cup of water. Lock the lid and manually set for 7 minutes on low pressure. Once done, let the pressure release for about 10-15 minutes.
What wine pairs with pumpkin creme brulee?
A dry white wine works best. Think of a lovely German Riesling to sip alongside your pumpkin creme brulee. Also, a crisp Sauvingon Blanc or Malbec works wonderfully too.
What is Turbinado sugar?
Turbinado sugar is a partially refined sugar that retains some of the molasses from the sugar cane, which is great to use if sprinkling on a pie crust or using on a creme brulee. Turbinado sugar is a little more coarse and "sugary" so it torches really nicely, Turbinado sugar’s fuller flavor suits the pumpkin and brown sugar used in this pumpkin creme brulee recipe so well!
Pumpkin Creme Brulee Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Approx. ½ cup granulated or Turbinado sugar for sugar crust
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Combine the salt and spices in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk brown sugar and egg yolks until velvety and smooth.
- In a medium saucepan, warm the heavy cream and vanilla extract over medium heat just before it boils and remove from the heat.
- Very slowly temper the cream into the egg yolk/brown sugar mixture, making sure to constantly whisk as you add the cream. Slowly increase the amount of cream being poured (keep whisking!) until all of the cream is combined with the egg/sugar mix.
- Add in the pumpkin puree and spice mix until combined. Pass through a strainer to remove any odd bits.
- Pour the liquid into each ramekin, making sure to fill at least three-quarters of the way up.
- Place the ramekins into a deep dish tray. Slowly pour boiling water into the tray until the water comes halfway up the ramekins. Be careful not to get water in the ramekins!
- Gingerly place the tray into the oven and bake for approx. 35-40 minutes, until the edges are set and the center retains a little wobble.
- Once they are at room temperature, refrigerate the pumpkin creme brulee for at least four hours or overnight so the flavors develop.
- Take the ramekins out of the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes. If using a blow torch, sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar (or Turbinado sugar for more texture) over each ramekin. Torch the sugar all around until it darkens and bubbles up.
- Allow the top to cool until it hardens into a candy-like outer crust. Pumpkin creme brulee keeps well in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Nutrition
I hope you enjoyed this recipe and if you are looking for another perfect fall dessert, please do try our amazing apple cider muffins!
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