Pumpkin Egg Custard Recipe - My Kitchen Love (2024)
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This cozy Pumpkin Egg Custard recipe is a dreamy Fall dessert made from convenient ingredients and is almost effortless to whip up. These Egg Custards are creamy, luscious, and have just the right amount of pumpkin and spice.
This post is in partnership and sponsored by Get Cracking! as part of their #EggsAnyTime campaign. My Kitchen Love has been compensated monetarily. We only support brands we love and cook with at home.
My love for eggs truly knows no bounds. Convenient for any meal, any time of the day, my love also dives straight into the dessert category where eggs literally do all the heavy lifting with minimal effort. Binding, aerating, and silky texture to name a few power moves eggs lend us.
These Pumpkin Egg Custards are not only creamy and luscious, but are given a boost of healthy protein thanks to eggs.A decadent dessert with more wholesome ingredients and less guilt?! Sign me up!
Like most egg dishes, this Pumpkin Egg Custard is easily elevated, uncomplicated, and has ingredients that are widely available. The pumpkin and spices lean this egg custard recipe into a stunning, yet comforting dessert.
How do you make egg custard? It’s straightforward and made with just a few ingredients you likely already have at home (except the pumpkin puree, you may need to pop into a grocery store for that).
Plunk the eggs and other ingredients in a bowl and whisk for a moment or two, then pop the mixture into the oven to bake and voilà! Silky, decadent, and creamy dessert.
The mixture needs a solid, albeit quick, whisk to ensure the consistency of the mixture is uniform and the eggs are well blended. If the eggs are not combined properly into the custard mixture they will separate out during baking and the custard will have inconsistent textures and different layers.
A low temperature water bath method is used in this recipe to keep the eggs from cooking too quickly while being baked. This method also adds moisture to the oven for that smooth texture without any hardness or cracks on the surface of the custard.
A water bath is simply a high rimmed baking pan that has a few inches of water in it (see photo below) and the item being baked in a separate baking vessel sitting inside the water.
I liked the cinnamon dusted whipping cream on top of these Egg Custards as the whipped cream garnish was a nice compliment.
That being said, sprinkling some sugar on top and torching each custard briefly is a great take on a healthier pumpkin crème brûlée that would be amazing too.
Other garnish variations would include some candied pecans or crumbled dark chocolate cookie.
More cozy egg desserts we love:
Meyer Lemon Meringue Tart (yolks for the lemon curd and whites for the meringue!)
Triple Chocolate Meringues (5-ingredients for a chocolaty meringue cookie)
Preheat oven to 325° F and prepare a high rimmed 9" x 13" baking pan with an inch or so of water. Place 6 empty ramekins into the pan with water in it.
In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), and salt.
Fill the 6 empty ramekins with egg custard mixture*. Place pan with water bath and filled ramekins into oven carefully.
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until custard is set on the outside and still slightly jiggly in the middle.
Allow to cool for at least 2 hours (the custard will continue to set as it cools)**.
Recipe Notes
* I used all the custard mixture in 6 ramekins. I used 4 oz. ramekins.
** These egg custards are a perfect make ahead dessert and will last in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin Egg Custard
Amount Per Serving
Calories 171Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 101mg34%
Sodium 175mg8%
Potassium 250mg7%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 23g26%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 6622IU132%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 132mg13%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Texture: Custards made with whole eggs tend to be firmer and more set due to the additional proteins in the egg whites. Custards made with only egg yolks are typically smoother and silkier, resulting in a creamier texture. Flavor: Egg yolks have a higher fat content and contain more flavor compounds than egg whites.
Egg custard is a variation on cream custard. Egg custurd is a tick rich creamy sweet or savory dessert, made mixtures of eggs or egg yolks, milk or cream, flavorings (vanilla, nutmeg, etc.) and optionally, sweeteners (sugar, honey). Basic custards are thickened and set by eggs alone.
Stirred custard is thickened by coagulation of egg protein, while the same gives baked custard its gel structure. The type of milk used also impacts the result.
Pouring hot filling into a barely-thawed crust makes for doughy crust and undercooked custard, and cold filling in a hot crust is a one-way ticket to lumps and clumps.
In my experience yolks in something like flan contribute to richness - so adding more of them (within reason) will amp up that sensation and make the whole dessert seem more filling. A 2-yolk flan made with 4 yolks, for example, will set slightly looser but taste far creamier and richer.
Add the milk in 1/2-cup increments to bring the temperature of the eggs up gradually while whisking. Tip: Whisking the eggs with sugar helps, too. Now you can add the tempered eggs to the hot milk without worrying that the eggs will curdle or scramble. Keep stirring over medium heat as the custard thickens.
There are three main varieties of custard: baked custard, stirred custard, and steamed custard. The first two are both popular in Western cuisine. Baked custard is typically firmer and made with whole eggs, while stirred custards can be much runnier and often only contain the yolks.
Brands vary, but vanilla ice-cream typically has about 10 per cent more calories than custard, as well as twice the saturated fat, less protein and half the calcium and potassium. However, ice-cream usually has less sugar and salt, too.
There are three types of custard: baked, stirred, and frozen. Baked custards include bread pudding, flan, and cheesecake, and are prepared by baking in an oven or water bath. Boiled Custards include beverages like eggnog. Puddings, creme anglaise (krem on-GLAYZ), and pastry cream are some examples of stirred custards.
Here's how to avoid one of the worst kitchen mishaps: overcooking. Egg-based puddings and custards can curdle if cooked beyond 185 degrees. We take crème anglaise off the heat when the mixture registers 175 to 180, but when making the base for ice cream we push the temperature to 180 to 185 for maximum thickness.
One degree during cooking can make a difference in the texture. When overcooked, it toughens, the liquid is squeezed out, and it turns into scrambled eggs and juice. It's important to gently heat the ingredients to set; it's the difference between thickening and curdling.
Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Stirring distributes the heat so the custard doesn't become too hot, which can curdle it. Draw a finger across the back of the spoon and if it leaves a trail, your custard is ready.
The most common mistake people make in baking a custard is not putting enough water in the hot-water bath. The water should come up to the level of the custard inside the cups. You must protect your custard from the heat.
Why does my egg custard pie taste like scrambled eggs? Overbaked custard can lead to an eggy flavor and rubbery consistency. Make sure to bake the custard pie until slightly jiggly in the center.
Ultimately, the amount of jiggle is the most universal rule in judging the doneness of a non-crusty crusted custard pie. Unfortunately, it is also the most difficult to describe without being able to show in person. A majority of chess pies will be done they have a slight jiggly tremble to them.
With the eggs, the issue is whether to use the whole egg or only the yolk. Yolks give a richer tasting, velvety custard, and a deeper yellow colour which is more appetising. If you add whites there is more of a jellyish consistency. Whites make a sturdier custard and are useful if you wish to unmould a baked custard.
Many recipes for baking that call for 3 whole eggs adapt easily to 2 whole eggs and a yolk. Any custard can be made using only egg yolks. If the custard recipe calls for whole eggs, substitute a yolk for each egg. The custard will be all the smoother and richer for it.
Unfortunately, whites may give your pudding a texture that you won't like - one site calls it "jellyish" (meaning like gelatin), so you may want to use a combination of whole eggs and yolks alone, say, two whole eggs and two yolks. This would be about equivalent to using six yolks but will reduce the gumminess.
Introduction: My name is Annamae Dooley, I am a witty, quaint, lovely, clever, rich, sparkling, powerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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