Pumpkin Flan
Serves 8 - 10
You may decide never again to bake a pumpkin pie once you've tried this. It is so light, it just melts in your mouth, plus, it's delicious, creamy smooth and doesn't contain the high carb crust of a pie - and it is gluten free. This is the perfect dessert to take when you're asked to bring dessert - take it and some whipped cream in a cooler, still in the baking pan, and flip out onto a serving plate when you get there.
Pumpkin Flan
| ½ cup and 2/3 cup sugar |
| 6 eggs |
| 1 15oz. can pumpkin puree, drained a bit |
| ½ tsp. vanilla extract |
| ½ tsp. rum extract |
| ½ tsp. salt |
| ½ tsp. ground ginger |
| ½ tsp. cinnamon |
| ¼ tsp. ground allspice |
| 2 cups heavy cream |
| Garnish: Cinnamon flavored whipped cream |
Directions:
Place ½ cup sugar in a 5x9” metal loaf pan. Hold this down over a burner on medium heat, shaking and tilting the pan until the sugar is melted (use potholders and a wooden chop stick to help it along). Once melted, the sugar will caramelize and begin to brown quickly - as soon as it turns golden brown, tilt pan so the entire surface is covered. Remove from heat - it's ok if the caramel hardens and cracks.
Place remaining ingredients (beginning with the 2/3 cup sugar) in a blender container and process until smooth. Pour mixture through a sieve, pressing it through; then pour into loaf pan over caramel.
Set loaf pan in a deep baking pan adding enough hot water to the baking pan to reach halfway up the sides of the loaf pan, Bake flan in middle of a preheated 350°F for 1 hour and 10-15 min. or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the flan cool; then chill it, covered, overnight.
To serve: Run a thin knife around the edge of the loaf pan; place platter on loaf pan; then invert onto platter. Melted caramel will run down the sides. Serve, cut into slices, with whipped cream seasoned with cinnamon.
Opt. Garnish: Roll out refrigerator pie dough/ cut leaves with mini cookie cutters/ make veins with knife tip/ brush with beaten egg/ sprinkle with sugar/ bake on cookie sheet at 350° for 5-10 min. until crisp.