Food /

Pumpkin and Cardamom Crème Brûlée with Brockmans Gin

Autumn is here – and she’s brought with her an abundance of delicious, seasonal-inspired recipes. Like this Pumpkin and Cardamom Crème Brûlée with Brockmans Gin for example…

Recipe & photography by Arpita Saha

This moreish recipe was created by Arpita Saha of The Gastronomic Bong. She describes herself as a foodie from a young age.

Born into a Bengali family, and growing up in culturally-diverse Mumbai, (hence the name ‘The Gastronomic Bong’) Arpita’s always known multicultural food. She describes her childhood kitchen as a flurry of activity, where her family and friends gathered to talk, eat, and share life over delicious family recipes

Her love for food approached a new level with the introduction of a special someone into her life. She says her husband’s love for food was the catalyst for her love of food and culinary experiments as she stopped fearing the unknown and gladly accepted that making mistakes was the process to uncovering secret flavours, new techniques, or new perspectives.

We’d say this Pumpkin and Cardamom Crème Brûlée with Brockmans Gin was a successful experiment indeed…

Recipe & photography by Arpita Saha

PUMPKIN AND CARDAMOM CRÈME BRÛLÉE WITH BROCKMANS GIN

By Arpita Saha

INGREDIENTS

  • 3/4 cup/96 grams pumpkin puree
  • 300ml heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup/32g caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 75ml Brockmans Gin
  • 4-5 tbsp of golden caster sugar for the topping

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.
  2. Place 6 oven safe ramekins in a large metal baking tray and keep it aside.
  3. In a medium saucepan combine the pumpkin puree, heavy cream and the cardamom powder. 
  4. Heat over medium to low heat stirring frequently, until the mixture just starts to boil.
  5. Take it off the heat and set it aside for 5-6 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, in a large bowl add the egg yolks and sugar. Now with a hand mixer whisk together the eggs and sugar until it turns thick and light lemonish in colour.
  7. Now slowly pour a ladleful of hot pumpkin and cream mixture to the egg yolk whisking continuously. Slowly pour the rest of the pumpkin-cream mixture to the egg, whisking constantly.
  8. Sieve the hot mixture back into the saucepan.
  9. Stir in the vanilla extract and 75 ml of Brockmans Gin to the hot mixture. 
  10. Pour the hot mixture in the ramekins and fill it almost to the brim.
  11. Now pour hot boiling water into the baking pan. The hot water should reach 1/2 of the height of the ramekins.
  12. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. The centre of the brûlée will be a bit wobbly and jiggly. 
  13. Remove from the pan and place it on the rack. Let it cool down completely. Cover them and refrigerate for 4-5 hours or overnight.
  14. Before serving sprinkle with some golden caster sugar. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until golden brown. You can also place the ramekins on a baking sheet under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.