By Alaina Sullivan
All it really takes is some mascarpone and a quick whisk to transform pumpkin puree into a rich crème brûlee. Brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and allspice are folded into the smooth mixture, giving it a flavor somewhere in between grandma’s brown sugar sweet potatoes and crustless pumpkin pie.
Dividing the mixture into small ramekins is recommended (this stuff is rich!); then sprinkle each with a thick layer of brown sugar. After a few minutes under the broiler the tops emerge bubbling, with that delicious scent of burnt sugar. If you wait a few minutes, the surface will harden slightly, allowing for the best part of crème brûlee: cracking the crust. Recipe from Mark Bittman’s Kitchen Express.
Pumpkin Crème Brûlee
Turn on the broiler and put the rack about four inches from the heat. With an electrix mixer or whisk, beat together a small can of pumpkin, eight ounces mascarpone, and a quarter cup of brown sugar; add a half teaspoon each of cinnamon and ginger and a pinch each of allspice and salt. Spread evenly into an ovenproof baking dish or ramekins and sprinkle the top with a thick layer of brown sugar. Broil for a few minutes, until the sugar melts, forming a crust. Serve immediately.
Any chance you could clarify how much "a small can of pumpkin" is? Here they only come in one size.. 3.5 cups worth.
Mmmm, this will be appearing on our table soon!
Yes, even better would be to provide the weight of the pumpkin required. I grew sugar pie pumpkins and would love to use puree from them. Thanks.
I used a 15-oz can of pumpkin, which I believe is weight, not volume. I’d say it’s about 1 3/4 cups — so ikapai, either use about half of your can or double the rest of the ingredients!
I’m excited to see this can be made without a kitchen torch.
Ran a trial of this recipe because I wanted to serve it for Thanksgiving. I think the addition of an egg or two would improve it’s texture which is more like cake batter than brulee. Kind of a disappointment to find that underneath the lovely sugar crust.