Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Crisps

Making crème brûlée is truly an art form (and one you’ll be happy to practice). The pumpkin in this recipe gives it a warm Thanksgiving touch.

1 ¼ cup heavy cream
¾ cup whole milk
½ tsp. vanilla
⅛ tsp. cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch ginger
5 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
1 tbsp. pumpkin puree
6 tbsp. Maui brown sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
½ cup chopped and toasted macadamia nuts (optional)
1 ¾ cup flour

Crème Brûlée:

Preheat oven to 300° F. In a saucepan, heat cream, milk and spices (⅛ teaspoon vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger) over medium heat, just until hot. Whisk yolks and ½ cup sugar together. Slowly pour in hot cream mixture, whisking well. Add in pumpkin puree. Pour mixture into ramekins, place in a pan and add water to make a bath, halfway up the sides of the ramekin. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until crème brûlée is set, but still jiggly in the middle. Remove from oven, cool, cover and refrigerate to set completely.

Simple Shortbread Crisps:

Cream butter and sugar together. Add in ½ teaspoon vanilla and the macadamia nuts. Gently mix in flour, just until blended. Pour into a 9″ x 13″ pan and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown. After removing from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, then score them by cutting 2″ x 1″ rectangles. Let cool.

To serve, sprinkle 1 tablespoon Maui sugar over each crème brûlée ramekin, and broil just until sugar turns a medium golden brown (or use a cooking torch). Serve with shortbread crisps, and invite your guests to spoon the crème brûlée onto the crisps.

Recipe By:

Chef Joanne Chang

Prep + Cook Time:

1 hr 30 mins

Serving Size:

5 round ramekins

As featured in…

Oct. 27, 2010 Coupon Book