Recipe: Pumpkin Pudding Caramel

PUMPKIN PUDDING CARAMEL

"Martha Fish made this entry in her diary on November 27, 1884: "Thanksgiving Day, had puddings as usual..." I suggest that you follow Martha's Thanksgiving tradition and serve this pumpkin pudding instead of pumpkin pie for a change."



3/4 cup plus 2/3 cup sugar, divided use
1/3 cup water
6 large eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree (not sweetened pie filling)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 rounded teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 rounded teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 rounded teaspoon ground cloves
3 cups heavy whipping cream, divided use
Thinly julienned crystallized ginger (for garnish)

In a small saucepan, combine the 3/4 cup sugar with the 1/3 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon and washing down the sides of the pan once or twice with a wet pastry brush. Cook the syrup until it's amber-colored. Immediately remove from heat and pour into an 8-cup charlotte mold or loaf pan. Repeatedly tilt the mold in a circular motion until the sides and bottom are evenly coated. Set aside and let harden.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, using a whisk, beat the eggs with the remaining 2/3 cup sugar. Add the pumpkin, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and 2 cups of the heavy cream and whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture into the caramel-lined mold.

Place the mold in a baking pan and fill the baking pan with hot water. If using a charlotte mold, the water will only reach one fourth to one third of the way up the sides of the mold. If using a loaf pan, let the water reach halfway up the sides.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 2 hours (the loaf will cook faster than the mold), or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the pudding cool, then refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or, preferably, overnight.

JUST BEFORE SERVING:
Whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream until stiff. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a wide fluted tip with the cream.

To serve, run a knife around the edge of the mold and invert the mold onto a platter. Decorate the pudding and the platter with rosettes of whipped cream. Decorate the rosettes with the julienned ginger.

Makes 8-10 servings
Source: The Nantucket Holiday Table by Susan Simon