Double-Ginger Pumpkin Flans

By Ritamay

If you don’t have individual ramekins, use custard cups or a 1½-qt. baking dish, which will require an additional 15 to 20 minutes in the oven.

Ingredients

• CARAMEL:
• Cooking Spray
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• FLAN:
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1/2 t. ground ginger
• 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1/2 cup Half-and-Half
• 1 t. grated peeled fresh ginger

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325º. To prepare caramel, lightly coat 6 6-oz. ramekins with cooking spray. Combine ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook 4 minutes, or until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, without stirring, 6 minutes, or until mixture turns golden around outside edges. Divide evenly into prepared ramekins. Set aside.

To prepare flan, combine ⅓ cup sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in pumpkin and next 3 ingredients (through cinnamon). Combine milk, Half-and-Half, and fresh ginger. Heat milk mixture over medium-high heat in a heavy saucepan to 180º, or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Gradually add half of hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Reduce heat, and cook to 160º, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Strain through a sieve over a large bowl; discard solids.

Divide milk mixture evenly among prepared ramekins. Place cups in a 13x9-in. baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 325º for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cups from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Chill at least 8 hours.

Carefully loosen edges of custards with a knife. Invert ramekins onto plates. Drizzle any remaining caramel over custards. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 flan).