It’s the first week of October and I have now fully boarded the cozy fall train. I was clinging on to the remnants of summer in September, but it’s time to officially embrace pumpkin, warming spices, and all things that make you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. This pumpkin crème brûlée contains a creamy, spiced pumpkin custard topped with a thin layer of crisp caramel and a candied sage leaf to contrast the sweetness and add a woodsy note.
The slightly burnt-tasting caramel is the perfect companion for the sweet pumpkin filling and adds a satisfying crunch to each bite. Think of this recipe as baking meets art project. The candied sage leaves don’t just make for an attractive garnish, but are delightful and satisfying to make, while also lending a savory note to the dish.
A few notes on the methods for this crème brûlée recipe. While this dessert always sounds like a fancy showstopper, it is actually quite simple to make. I start off by cooking pumpkin puree on the stove with the spices, providing an opportunity for the spices to bloom, and cooking out extra water in the pumpkin puree to concentrate that delectable pumpkin flavor. This is then mixed with cream and milk and stirred into the egg yolk and sugar mixture. I chose brown sugar for this recipe to pair with the pumpkin and warm spices.
And perhaps the most exciting aspect of this recipe is that you do not need to own a blowtorch! Simply pass a teaspoon of brown sugar through a fine mesh sieve to create a thin, even layer atop the custard. Pop it under the broiler until the sugar has melted and caramelized into a deep amber color.
If you’re a fan of pumpkin spice lattes, feel free to test out adding a shot of espresso or some instant coffee powder to the cream mixture. And for all my fellow pumpkin-lovers, I have enough pumpkin recipes to last you all month! Try my miso pumpkin bread or brown butter pumpkin pie with sage.
Pumpkin crème brûlée with candied sage
Course: Cakes and custardsDifficulty: Quick bake8
servings15
minutes50
minutesThis pumpkin crème brûlée contains a creamy, spiced pumpkin custard topped with a thin layer of crisp caramel and a candied sage leaf to contrast the sweetness and add a woodsy note. It is the quintessential fall comfort dessert.
Ingredients
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
generous pinch of cloves
a few cracks of black pepper
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 large egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
- For the garnish (see note for instructions)
Sage leaves
1 egg white (save from egg yolks above)
granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Add the pumpkin puree and spices to a small saucepan and cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes, until the spices and pumpkin are fragrant, the mixture has darkened slightly, and some of the moisture has cooked out.
- Stir in the heavy cream, followed by the milk, whisking the mixture to break up the chunks of pumpkin puree. Leave on the heat until the mixture starts to simmer. Then immediately turn off.
- Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and brown sugar together for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture has turned thick. Then, whisking constantly, slowly stream in the cream mixture. Whisk in the vanilla and salt and let sit for 5 minutes. If you’d like, you can use a spoon to skim off some of the foam on top of the mixture.
- If you still have large chunks of pumpkin that have not been incorporated, you can use an immersion blender at this point to make the texture more uniform. Otherwise, if you don’t see large chunks, just pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and evenly distribute across eight ramekins.
- Add the ramekins to a large baking dish and carefully pour boiling water into the dish until it reaches half-way up the sides of the ramekins, creating a water bath. Place in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, until the custards are just set and have only a slight wobble in the center. Remove ramekins from the water bath and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 24.
- About one hour before you’re ready to serve the crème brûlée, preheat the broiler. Pass about one teaspoon of light brown sugar through a fine mesh sieve to evenly top each of the ramekins (1 tsp or slightly less per ramekin). Place on a baking sheet and put under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, watching very closely, until the sugar has melted and turned an amber color. Remove from the broiler and refrigerate for one hour and up to two, until the top has hardened. Top with candied sage leaves and serve.
Notes
- Make ahead tips: You can refrigerate the custard mixture before baking for about two days. Just cover the top directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. For the baking custards, just broil in batches based on the number you plan to eat and keep the others covered, in the refrigerator, until ready to add the topping.
- At least one day before serving (but several days before is completely fine!), rinse and dry the sage leaves. Lay out a piece of parchment. Whisk the egg white and place a few tablespoons of granulated sugar on a small plate. Brush each sage leaf with a thin layer of egg white on both sides and press into the sugar until completely covered. If you don’t have a brush, you can dip the leaves in the egg whites and use your fingers to wipe off the excess. Place the sugared sage leaves on the parchment and leave out to dry for at least 24 hours.
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