Warm spices and sweet pumpkin give this creamy baked custard an unusual twist. The silky smooth texture is contrasted with the crunch of roasted pepitas and ginger snap biscuits. Brûlée on top would add an extra toffee crunch.
Ingredients
Method
Main
1.Preheat oven to 180C. Spread pumpkin in a small roasting pan, add 100ml water, cover tightly with foil and roast until very tender (50 minutes to 1 hour). Drain in a sieve, then purée in a food processor with the fresh ginger until very smooth.
2.Reduce oven to 160C. Bring pumpkin purée and half the cream to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk brown sugar, spices and half the yolks in a bowl to combine, then, whisking continuously, gradually add pumpkin mixture. Transfer custard to a jug.
3.Bring crème fraîche, vanilla and remaining cream to a simmer in a saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk caster sugar and remaining yolks in a bowl to combine, then, whisking continuously, gradually add crème fraîche mixture and whisk to combine well. Transfer custard to a separate jug.
4.Place four 350ml shallow bowls in a large roasting pan lined with a clean tea towel. Pour pumpkin custard and vanilla custard into bowls simultaneously so they swirl together. Fill roasting pan with enough hot water to reach halfway up sides of bowls, cover pan with foil and carefully transfer to oven. Bake custards until set with a slight wobble in the centre (20-25 minutes). Remove bowls from water bath and leave for 10 minutes, then scatter with crumbled ginger snap biscuits and roasted pepitas, dust lightly with icing sugar and serve warm with extra crème fraîche.
