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Okay, so it’s no secret that I love to bake. I love desserts and I always make tons of them during an given week. I picked up this cookbook over at William Sonoma. I have to say the price was worth it, even if all I got was my dad’s favorite dessert recipe ever, Caramelized Pumpkin Flan. My dad absolutely loves anything custard and well, he was blown away by this one. He keeps telling me that I need to make it again, I plan to on my next visit home. It is truly a great dessert, especially around Thanksgiving, stay tuned at the end of this review for the full recipe.
This cookbook is a great one. The chapters include cookies, bars & confections, cakes, cupcakes & cheesecakes, pies & tarts, custards, mousses & puddings, frozen desserts, fruit desserts, and basic recipes & techniques. I think one of the best chapters in the book is the basic recipes & techniques section. This is an absolute life safer for those just starting out. They give you step-by-step techniques for making pie and tart crusts, making frozen desserts, and a really great glossary. They have a great section on all the kinds of chocolate and techniques for working with them.
I am a fan of fruit desserts, so I really enjoy that chapter. I also inherited the custard gene from my dad, so I really love that section. I think this is a great resource for anyone interested in trying out some new desserts. The book contains both classic recipes and interesting new twists, so it’s a great resource for the first time dessert baker. Without further ado, Jim’s favorite dessert ever, Caramelized Pumpkin Flan.
Caramelized Pumpkin Flan (from Williams Sonoma’s Desserts Cookbook)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbs. water
- 3/4 cup light (single) cream
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- Grated zest of 1 small orange
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325° F.
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and the water, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook without stirring until the liquid is caramel colored and has a faintly burnt aroma, 6-8 minutes; do not allow to burn. Remove from the heat and pour carefully into four 1/2 cup (4 oz) custard cups or ramekins, tilting them to coat the bottoms and sides. Set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the cream until small bubbles form along the edges of the pan; do not allow it to boil. In a bowl, combine the pumpkin, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the orange zest, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to mix well, then stir in the eggs. Mix in the warm cream, a little at a time. Stir in the vanilla until smooth, and pour into prepared dishes. Place in baking pan and pour hot water into the pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the cups. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
Bake until set and knife inserted in the center of the flan comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Carefully remove from the water bath and let rest on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, then cover and chill well.
At serving time, run a knife around the inside edge of each dish and invert each flan onto a small individual plate or into a shallow bowl, allowing the caramel at the bottom of the cup to drizzle over the top of the flan. Serve at once.
Serves 4.