Pumpkin Cream With Pumpkin-Seed Crumble

Pastry chef Alex Stupak distills all the flavor of pumpkin to a custardy essence with a crunchy topping.

Ingredients

FOR THE PUMPKIN CREAM:
14 ounces milk
14 ounces canned pumpkin purée
3 egg yolks
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon iota carrageenan (available online from le-sanctuaire.com)
½ teaspoon gelatin powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground mace
½ teaspoon salt

FOR THE PUMPKIN-SEED CRUMBLE:
¾ cup hulled pumpkin seeds
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 ounces cold butter, broken into small pieces

Instructions

Set out 4-ounce ramekins 8 to a tray and refrigerate. Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan, whisk in the pumpkin purée until incorporated, and return to a boil, stirring constantly. Transfer the mixture to an adjustable-speed blender, and blend on high speed. While blending, add the egg yolks, butter, and brown sugar. Immediately after, add the iota carrageenan and continue to blend for 2 minutes. Add the gelatin, cinnamon, mace, and salt, and blend until incorporated. Ladle the mixture into the ramekins; refrigerate until set.

For the pumpkin-seed crumble: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, combine the pumpkin seeds, flour, sugar, and salt. Process the mixture until seeds are coarsely ground. Add butter, and process for 20 seconds.

Spread the mixture onto a parchment-lined sheet tray; bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Just before serving, sprinkle crumble on cream.

(Published 2009)