While the answer may be unanimous, the dessert of choice varies from person to person. If you have a Thanksgiving similar to the ones I know, there are multiple dessert options on the table. While the classic pumpkin pie is certain to adorn many a dessert buffet, this could be the year to try pumpkin in a different format, or you could keep the pie but add a new dessert to the selection.
Today we are featuring two desserts that highlight pumpkin, a soufflé and a crème brûlée. Come back tomorrow for two more delicious dessert recipes.
- 4 Tb. butter, plus 6 Tb. of butter for ramekins
- ½ cup plus 3 Tb. sugar for ramekins
- ½ cup spiced rum
- ½ cup plus 2 Tb. canned, unsweetened pumpkin purée
- 1 Tb. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. powdered ginger
- ¼ tsp. clove
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ tsp. allspice
- Pinch nutmeg
- ½ tsp. salt
- 8 eggs
- 6 Tb. pumpkin powder
- 3 Tb. flour
- Pinch cream of tartar
- 4 soufflé ramekins, 4 inches in diameter
- Generously grease your soufflé ramekins with 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Refrigerate the buttered ramekins and then butter them again.
- Dust the insides of the ramekins with 3 tablespoons of the sugar and return them to the refrigerator. Keep the remaining butter at room temperature.
- Separate the eggs, reserving the whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, spices, salt, flour, and pumpkin powder.
- Gradually add milk and whisk until lumps are removed. Heat the mixture on low, stirring with a whisk, until it begins to thicken.
- Cook over medium heat stirring vigorously until you can see the bottom of the pan. Cool slightly and stir in the butter and rum, set aside to cool.
- Combine all but 2 tablespoons of the remaining sugar and 4 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium heat and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan.
- Simultaneously place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on medium high speed. Once the egg whites begin to foam up, add the cream of tartar .
- When the egg whites are completely foamy, shiny and begin to hold the lines of a whisk, add the sugar. The whites should become shiny and gain volume.
- If you see the whites beading (small lumps of egg whites forming on the side of the bowl), you have whipped them too dry; slow the machine down and add the remaining sugar.
- Add about a quarter of the meringue to the pumpkin custard to lighten it and then add the remaining meringue by placing a spatula in the center of the bowl, scrape the bottom, and bring the bottom over the top.
- Rotate the bowl 45 degrees and continue folding until all the egg whites are incorporated.
- Using a rubber or plastic spatula, fill the prepared ramekins with the mixture, avoiding leaving any air pockets under the mixture in the ramekins.
- Flatten the tops of the ramekins with a metal spatula, scraping any excess mixture back into the bowl. Clean off any bits of mousse that might have dropped onto the sides of the ramekins.
- You can now either bake your soufflés or place them in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 hours or in the freezer for up to 24 hours.
- Before baking frozen soufflés, allow them to sit out at room temperature for 1 hour. When you are ready to bake the soufflés, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake the soufflés until they are raised over the rims by about ½ their original volume, 9 to 12 minutes in a convection oven or 15 to 20 minutes in a regular oven without a fan.
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3-1/4 cup sugar, plus 4 tsp.
- 8 large egg yolks
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
- 1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Arrange 8 (1/2-cup) ramekins or custard cups in a large metal baking pan (or use 8 individual oven-safe bowls).
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until frothy and lemon-colored. Slowly add 3/4 cup of the hot cream mixture, whisking constantly.
- Add the egg mixture to the remaining hot cream, and whisk. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin, and whisk until smooth.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Divide among the prepared custard cups.
- Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Bake until the custards are set in the center but not stiff, approximately 50 minutes.
- Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Dust each custard with 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining sugar. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar. (Alternately, preheat the broiler, and broil until the sugar caramelizes, watching closely to avoid burning and rotating the cups, about 1 to 2 minutes.)
- Place on small dessert plates on a paper doily, and serve.
