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A white ramekin filled with crème brûlée sits on a white plate with a silver spoon. The caramelized sugar top is cracked, revealing the creamy custard beneath. Another ramekin of crème brûlée is visible in the background.
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Pumpkin-Bourbon Crème Brulée

A seasonal twist to a divine French custard dessert!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Refrigeration Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 55 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, French
Keyword: Custard, Fall, Holiday, Make-ahead, Pumpkin
Servings: 8

Equipment

  • 8 Ramekins
  • Kitchen torch

Ingredients

  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée or 425 g of Homemade Pumpkin Purée
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 5 extra-large egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar divided

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325ºF.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, ½ cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, bourbon, and salt.
  • In a medium saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Gradually whisk hot cream into pumpkin mixture.
  • Divide the mixture evenly among 8 (4 ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large roasting pan and pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custards are just set in the middle, about 35-40 minutes. Carefully remove the custards from the pan and chill until cold, at least 6 hours. (Custards can be made up to 2 days in advance, covered and chilled.)
  • Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar over each custard cup. Using a kitchen torch, melt sugar until caramelized. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

The alcohol in the bourbon is cooked out when the custards are baked.
Tip:
I use a kitchen torch to brûlée the sugar.  It does the job nicely and provides a little after-dinner entertainment. 
You can also use the broiler element in your oven.  Set the rack 4 to 6 inches away from the broiler and broil until the sugar caramelizes and hardens. Be careful that the oven doesn't warm the custard too much.
Make ahead:
Custards can be made up to 2 days in advance. 
Brulée custards just before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 9748IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 1mg
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