Pumpkin Pots de Crème with Pumpkin Seed Brittle

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ¾ cup pumpkin puree
• ⅛ tsp cardamom
• ¼ tsp nutmeg

  freshly grated
• ⅛ tsp kosher salt
• ½ cup maple syrup

  dark
• 7 egg yolks

  large
• gingersnap cookies

  crumbled
• whipped cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

  unsalted
• 2 Tbsp butter

  unsalted
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

• 1 Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• 2 Arrange six 6 oz ramekins in a large, shallow baking pan. Put a large kettle of
  water on the stove and bring to a boil.
• 3 In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the cream, milk, and cinnamon stick and then
  scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the mixture. Warm the cream mixture
  over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges, or 170°F. Remove
  from heat, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Discard the vanilla bean and
  cinnamon stick.
• 4 While the cream mixture steeps, combine pumpkin puree, maple syrup, cardamom,
  nutmeg, and salt in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to sputtering simmer
  over medium heat while stirring constantly until thick and shiny, about 10
  minutes. Whisk in the warm cream mixture until combined.
• 5 In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until pale, about 1 minute. Temper the eggs by
  slowly adding the warm pumpkin-cream mixture, whisking constantly. Strain the
  custard through a sieve into a large measuring cup.
• 6 Divide the egg mixture among the ramekins. Skim away any foam. Fill the baking
  pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover
  tightly with tinfoil and bake until set and the center still wobbles, about 50
  minutes. For a more firm custard, bake for a full 60 minutes.
• 7 Remove the ramekins from the water bath and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.
• 8 Just before serving, make the whipped cream. In a cold metal bowl, whip the
  heavy creme until soft peaks form. Top each pot de crème with a spoonful of
  cream and a sprinkle of crumbled gingersnap cookies.
• 9 Line a half sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment and spray with
  non-stick cooking spray.
• 10 In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, bring the sugar, corn syrup, and 2 Tbsp water to a
  boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• 11 Cook without stirring until the mixture turns amber in color and a candy a
  thermometer registers 290°F, about 5 minutes. If sugar crystals form, wash them
  down from the side of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water.
• 12 Stir in the pumpkin seeds, butter, and salt and continue cooking until a candy
  thermometer registers 305°F, about 3 minutes.
• 13 Remove caramel from heat and stir in the baking soda and cinnamon. The caramel
  will bubble vigorously! Immediately pour the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan
  and spread as thinly as possible with a heatproof spatula. 
• 14 Cool completely, about 25 minutes, and then break into pieces. Store in an
  airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition Info