Pumpkin Custard

With sugar, spice and everything nice, this rich, creamy pumpkin custard is as comforting as cozy desserts get. Essentially a crustless pumpkin pie, this pumpkin custard recipe has all the makings of the classic dessert in custard form. It comes together by making a spiced, egg-based custard infused with warming brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Then, the creamy mixture is transferred into individual custard cups and gently cooked in a water bath, also known as a bain-marie.

Baking the custard for about one hour in a hot water bath promotes even cooking and helps it maintain its luscious, creamy texture. Although it’s perfect to serve on its own, a brown sugar, butter and toasted pecan topping makes it all the better. Even if the flavors are synonymous with a cool, crisp autumn day, we’ll argue this dessert is ideal year-round, no matter the season.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Custard

• Solid-pack pumpkin: Not to be mistaken with pumpkin pie filling, solid-pack pumpkin implies what’s in the can is purely pumpkin puree and nothing more. On the other hand, pumpkin pie filling often contains additional ingredients, such as pumpkin pie spices.
• Eggs: Eggs help give the pumpkin custard its rich, creamy consistency. However, the custard shouldn’t be cooked too quickly or at high temperatures, which can cause the eggs to curdle or thicken too much, potentially resulting in a lumpy custard texture.
• Half-and-half cream: Half-and-half cream can be swapped for three parts whole milk to one part heavy whipping cream.
• Brown sugar: When measuring brown sugar, ensure it’s firmly packed into the dry measuring cup and then leveled with the back of a knife for the appropriate measurement. The darker the brown sugar, the more molasses it contains. However, light and dark brown sugar can be used interchangeably in most cases.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Instead of buying it store-bought, try our homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe, which calls for just four simple ingredients: ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg.
• Salt: A small pinch of salt in this dessert recipe helps balance the sweetness and highlight the warmth of the pumpkin pie spice.
• Pecans: Chop the pecans into smaller chunks to ensure they cook evenly and slightly soften as they bake for a pleasant, chewy topping.
• Butter: Opt for unsalted butter to avoid an overly salted topping. Although, for a salted caramel effect, a touch of salted butter might help balance the sweetness in this dessert.
• Whipped cream: A dollop of whipped cream served on atop of the pumpkin custard will add bonus presentation points to the otherwise simple dessert.
• Cinnamon: A sprinkle of cinnamon, although optional, helps highlight the flavors in the pumpkin pie custard.

Directions

Step 1: Make the custard

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour it into four greased 10 ounce custard cups.

Step 2: Bake the custard

Place the prepared custard cups in a 13×9-inch baking pan and pour hot water around the cups to a depth of 1 inch.  Bake them uncovered at 350°F for 20 minutes.

Step 3: Add the toppings

For the topping, combine the brown sugar, pecans and butter. Sprinkle them over the custard. Bake 30 to 35 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve it warm or chilled, and top with whipped cream and cinnamon if desired. Store it in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Custard Variations

• Use a different type of nut: Pecans are an excellent option for this dessert. However, they can also be replaced with other nuts, like walnuts or hazelnuts.
• Use vanilla beans instead of extract: Swap the extract for beans for an even deeper vanilla flavor. Typically, one vanilla bean is the equivalent of roughly one teaspoon of vanilla extract.
• Make smaller portions: If splitting the custard into four 10 ounce portions is too much for one serving, swap the cups for a smaller size, such as an 8 ounce. However, keep in mind the cooking times will have to be adjusted as necessary; a smaller cup will likely cook faster than a larger one.

How to Store Pumpkin Custard

Store the custard in the refrigerator covered for up to three days. Ensure it’s completely cool before placing it in the refrigerator to prevent condensation from accumulating on the surface, which can make the custard soggy.

Can you freeze pumpkin custard?

Although you can freeze pumpkin custard, it’s not recommended. Chilling can alter the custard’s consistency, especially once it thaws.

Pumpkin Custard Tips

Is pumpkin puree just canned pumpkin?

Pumpkin puree and canned pumpkin are the same. Both are made with pureed pumpkin without additional spices or ingredients. They’re good options in place of using fresh pumpkins, which can be more labor-intensive to carve and prepare.

What is pumpkin pudding made of?

Most pumpkin pudding recipes contain just a few key ingredients, such as pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, eggs, cream and sugar. This pudding gets its rich consistency from the pumpkin puree and eggs, which are gently cooked in a water bath until slightly thickened.

What happens if I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?

Using pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree in this recipe may result in an overly seasoned and sweet custard, which would be due to the additional flavoring and ingredients found in pumpkin pie filling. However, if you intend to use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree, adjust the amount of pumpkin pie spice used to make the custard. This may call for a bit of trial and error to achieve the perfect balance.