Spiced Pumpkin Pot de Cremes

FROM A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR (aspoonfulofsugar.com)

(makes 6 servings)

300ml milk
375g peeled, deseeded pumpkin, chopped
125ml double cream
3 large eggs
60g caster sugar
35g soft dark brown sugar
1/4tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4tsp ground ginger
1/4tsp ground cinnamon
50g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C.

2. In a heavy-based saucepan, bring the milk to the boil & add the pumpkin.

2. Reduce the heat and simmer until the pumpkin is tender, adding more milk if necessary to keep it covered. Drain the pumpkin, reserving 125ml of the milk.

3. Puree the pumpkin in a blender, then pass it through a fine sieve.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, eggs & reserved milk.

5.Add the pumpkin puree, both the sugars & all the spices & mix well.

6. Add the melted butter & pass the mixture through a fine sieve again.

7. Pour into 6 individual ovenproof dishes, such as ramekins, & put them in a roasting tin. Pour enough hot water into the tin to come halfway up the sides of the dishes, then put the tin in the oven and bake for 20-25min, until the custards are set. (The surface should feel firm when pressed and no liquid should come to the top. Do not allow them to boil).

8. Remove the dishes from the roasting tin and leave to cool, then chill.

*NOTES:

If you’d also like to serve the pumpkin pots de creme in little pumpkins, then you simply need to roast them whole at 200C for about 30 minutes until mostly tender. Cut off a lid and scoop out the innards leaving a little of the flesh in each pumpkin so that it will hold its shape and still be waterproof. Discard the seeds and if you can, save some of the flesh for use in the recipe.
Also, I didn’t use the melted butter in the pots de creme as I felt they were rich enough already. This also has the bonus of making it a slightly healthier dish.

http://www.aspoonfulofsugar.net/wp/2008/10/spiced-pumpkin-pots-de-creme/

Mexican Chocolate Pots de Crème

FROM SUNSET (myrecipes.com)

(makes 6 servings)

1cup heavy whipping cream
1cup whole milk
1tsp espresso powder
1tsp ground cinnamon
1/4tsp cayenne pepper
2tbsps coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa)
6oz finely chopped high-quality bittersweet chocolate
6 large egg yolks
2tbsps superfine sugar
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.

2. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, bring cream, milk, espresso powder, & spices to a gentle simmer; cook 10 min.

3. Increase heat to medium &bring mixture to a boil, then remove from heat & stir in coffee liqueur.
4. Put chocolate in a heat-proof bowl & pour hot cream over it. Let stand 1min, then stir until smooth.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks & sugar.

6. Slowly drizzle yolk mixture into chocolate mixture, whisking constantly.

7. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl & let cool at room temperature 15min.
8. Meanwhile, in a kettle or small pot, bring about 4 ups water to a simmer. Arrange a dish towel in the bottom of a 9- by 13-in. baking pan. Set ramekins on top of towel (this helps keep them in place), then fill each ramekin with custard. Pour simmering water into pan so that it comes halfway up sides of ramekins.

9. Set pan in oven and bake pots de crème until their edges are set but their centers are still wobbly, about 25min; do not overbake.

10.Transfer ramekins to a cooling rack & let cool at room temperature for 30min, then chill in refrigerator until fully set, about 3 hours.

Nutritional Information (per servings)
Calories: 391 (71% from fat)
Protein: 6.9g
Fat: 31g (sat 17)
Carbohydrate: 25g
Fiber: 0.7g
Sodium: 42mg
Cholesterol: 273mg

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1575596