SAMHUINN: Pumpkin Crème Caramel
6 strips (3″ by 1″ each) orange peel
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 cup solid pack pumpkin (not pumpkin-pie mix)
6 large eggs
1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch salt
In 1-quart saucepan, heat orange peel, 3/4 cup sugar, and water to boiling over high heat; cover and cook 10 minutes. With fork, remove orange peel and discard. Continue cooking sugar mixture about 3 minutes longer, until amber in color. Pour caramel into 9″ by 5″ loaf pan, swirling to coat bottom. (Hold pan with pot holders to protect hands from heat of caramel.) Set pan aside.
In heavy 2-quart saucepan, heat evaporated milk, cream, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar just to boiling over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350º F. In large bowl with wire whisk, mix pumpkin eggs, liqueur, vanilla, cinnamon nutmeg, and salt until combined.
Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined. Pour pumpkin mixture through medium-mesh sieve into prepared loaf pan. Place loaf pan in 13″ by 9″ roasting pan; place in oven. Carefully pour boiling water into roasting pan to come three-quarters up side of loaf pan. Bake 55 minutes, or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge of custard comes out clean (center will jiggle slightly). Remove loaf pan from roasting pan to cool on wire rack 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate crème caramel overnight.
To unmold, run small metal spatula around sides of loaf pan; invert crème caramel onto serving plate, allowing caramel syrup to drip from pan onto loaf (some caramel may remain in loaf pan). Makes 12 servings.
Each serving: about 245 calories, 6 g protein, 28 g carbohydrate, 12 g total fat (7 g saturated), 0.5 g fiber, 143 mg cholesterol, 85 mg sodium.
