PUMPKIN is my favourite pie, handsdown.
But since I'm not a big fan of pie crust I usually end up eating the pumpkin part and leaving the denuded crust on the plate.
If there are other strange people like me out there then you'll enjoy the pumpkin custard recipe below - all filling, no poxy crust! The other two desserts are a bit more decadent, but that's what Thanksgiving's all about, isn't it? Make sure that you use pure canned pumpkin purée for these recipes, not prepared pumpkin pie filling.
PUMPKIN CUSTARD WITH MAPLE WHIPPED CREAM
1 398-ml can pumpkin purée
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
1¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp salt
1½ tsp vanilla
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1¾ cups light cream (Creamo)
Butter a 1½-quart round baking dish (or you can use individual ramekins, but the baking time will be significantly reduced). In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until well blended. Pour into the prepared casserole. Place casserole into a large shallow roasting pan; pour very hot water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the side of the casserole containing custard mixture. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the centre only jiggles very slightly when gently shaken. Let cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate until serving. Serve topped with Maple Whipped Cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Makes 6-8 servings.
Maple Whipped Cream: Whip 1 cup heavy cream until stiff peaks form; gently stir in two tablespoons of pure maple syrup.
PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING WITH BROWN SUGAR SAUCE
8 ounces French bread, torn into small pieces (about 5 cups)
2 cups light cream (Creamo)
3 large eggs
2 ?3 cup granulated sugar light brown sugar 2 ?3 cup
1 - 398ml can pumpkin purée
1 cup dried cranberries or golden raisins
3 Tbsp melted butter
1½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp vanilla
Butter an 11x7-inch baking dish; preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl cover the torn bread with the cream and set aside. In another bowl combine eggs, sugars, pumpkin, cranberries, melted butter, spices and vanilla; whisk to blend well. Pour this mixture over the soaked bread and stir to blend. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 45-60 minutes or until set but not dry. Serve with warm Brown Sugar Sauce (recipe follows). Makes eight servings.
BROWN SUGAR SAUCE:
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp corn syrup
¼ cup butter
½ cup whipping cream
1½ tsp vanilla
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently; reduce heat to medium and let boil gently for five minutes. Remove from heat; sauce will thicken as it cools. Reheat to warm in microwave before serving.
PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
This is definitely a special occasion dessert - it requires one kilogram of cream cheese, but it makes a lot of servings. Make this early on the day of serving or the night before.
Crust:
2 cups gingersnap crumbs (about 40 small gingersnaps, finely crushed in a food processor or with a rolling pin)
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
5 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
Filling:
4 - 250 g packages regular Philadelphia cream cheese (not light or fat-free), room temperature
1 1 ?3 cups packed light brown sugar
1½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 - 398 ml can pumpkin pureé
Position oven rack in the centre of oven and heat oven to 350 degrees.
Make the crust: Mix the gingersnap crumbs and ¼ cup brown sugar together in a medium bowl; add melted butter. Combine thoroughly until the mixture is evenly moist, crumbly and holds together when you squeeze a handful. Press the mixture evenly over the bottom and partway up the sides of a nine-inch springform pan. Chill for five minutes and then bake for 10 minutes. Let cool.
Make the filling: Heat a kettle of water. With an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until very smooth. In a small bowl whisk together the brown sugar, spices and salt. Add this mixture to the cream cheese and beat until well blended, scraping bowl as needed. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl often. Beat in the vanilla and pumpkin until well blended.
Scrape the batter into the cooled crust. Tap the pan gently on the counter once or twice to release any air bubbles. Place a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil around the bottom and up the sides of the pan and tie a piece of string around the foil to secure it. Place the pan in a large roasting pan and add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the top of the cake is deep gold and the centre is set (cake may crack a bit), about 1 hour and 35-45 minutes. The cake should jiggle a little when tapped.
Remove cake from oven and run a very thin-bladed knife between the crust and the side of the pan (this helps prevent the cake from cracking as it cools). Let cool to room temperature on a wire rack, then cover and chill at least six hours or overnight.
Serve topped with sweetened whipped cream and a drizzle of pure maple syrup. Makes 16 servings.
