Maple-Pumpkin Custard (a fancy name for pudding)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup REAL maple syrup, (the darker the better)
- ¾ cup canned unseasoned pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Whipped cream
- Chopped crystallized ginger
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put a kettle of water on to heat for the water bath. Get a roasting pan out that will hold all the ramekins. - Step 2
Heat milk over low heat in a small saucepan until barely steaming but not boiling. - Step 3
Whisk eggs and syrup in a large bowl until smooth. Gently whisk in the warm milk (a little bit at a time so the eggs don't cook). Add pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; whisk until blended. After whisking there will be some foam, skim that off. - Step 4
Divide the mixture among six 6-ounce (3/4-cup) custard cups/ramekins. Place custard cups in the roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the custard cups. Place the pan in the oven and bake, uncovered, until custards are just set but still quiver in the center when shaken, 45 to 50 minutes. If you insert a sharp knife about half way from the edge and the center, it should come out clean. Transfer custards to a wire rack and let cool for 45 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until chilled. - Step 5
To serve, top each custard with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of crystallized ginger.
I make my own whipped cream, but you can use the squirt kind. I buy crystalized ginger at the health food store so I have to dice it up tiny. And that's all there is to it. Yummy and the ramekins mean not too much, not too little. ENJOY!