Ingredients
1 small pumpkin (1-1.5kg or 12 cm diameter)
4 free range organic eggs, whisked
¾ can coconut cream (reduced fat cream will also work)
¼ cup Rapadura sugar (or white sugar if you like your custard yellow/white)
Pinch Murray River pink salt flakes
¼ tsp of each: ground nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, ginger
1/3 tsp Vanui Vanilla extract
1 tsp brandy or favourite liqueur
Summary
Baked Pumpkin Coconut Custard is a fun & family friendly Autumn dessert that is super easy to make, and adds a colourful centrepiece to the end of any meal.
- Wash and dry the pumpkin thoroughly. Preheat oven to 190° Celsius. Cut a lid from the top of the pumpkin and set aside. With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and stringy “guts” of the pumpkin. You may like to wash, dry & honey roast the seeds with a sprinkle of salt.
- Break eggs into a large mixing bowl, whisk until fluffy then add coconut cream, spices, vanilla & liqueur (optional), and sugar. Beat until sugar is completely dissolved. If you enjoy sweet desserts, or the pumpkin variety you have is not particularly sweet, you may wish to increase the amount of sugar to 1/3 rather than ¼ cup.
- Ladle the mixture into the pumpkin, making sure you carefully wipe off any spills. Fill to about 1-1.5 cm from the top to allow the custard space to rise while it bakes. In a baking pan, place the pumpkin with its lid beside it. Add a little water into the bottom of the pan. You may like to use a sheet of crumpled aluminium foil to stabilise the pumpkin if the bottom is not flat, and it wobbles a bit.
- If you have any left over custard mixture, you may wish to pop it into a baking dish alongside the pumpkin.
- Place your pan in the oven to bake for 45 mins, then remove pumpkin lid, as it should have softened sufficiently.
- After 60 mins, the custard should be rising and bubbling at the surface. Check again at 90 mins, or when the custard appears firm. To test, try inserting a clean knife or skewer into the custard. If it comes out clean, then you can take it out to cool. If the custard isn’t set or the pumpkin still appears too firm to eat, put it back into the oven for another 15 mins.
- Cool for 15-20 mins before serving, as the pumpkin will be quite hot. Serve with lid slightly askew revealing the custard inside. If you’re happy to share, the whole troop can dig in with spoons together. For a more theatrical twist, drizzle with brandy or cognac to flambé, and then cut into slices like a cake.
Hints and Tips
You may prefer to substitute ground ginger with ginger liqueur, or save brandy or cognac to flambé at serving.
If you wish to use the pumpkin seeds you scooped out as an additional feature to your dessert, consider honey roasting them. After washing away the stringy stuff and drying them, on medium heat a skillet with 2 tsp of oil (possibly pumpkin seed oil?). Fry the seeds for about 3 mins, then add 2 tbsp runny honey and mix. Transfer the skillet to the oven (160 degrees Celsius) for 20 mins or so, until the seeds are crispy throughout (give one a taste). Sprinkle with some good quality sea salt and basta! you’re done. Serve on top of pumpkin, or on the side of a slice as garnish.
