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Pumpkin Maple Flan

Yields1 ServingPrep Time10 minsCook Time1 hrTotal Time1 hr 10 mins

This dessert is full of Vermont fall flavors. If you make the pumpkin mash ahead, and store it in the refrigerator or freezer, you can whip up this flan in only a few minutes. See the note below for making the pumpkin mash.

 ¼ cup Vermont Maple Syrup
 5 Large Eggs
 12 oz Can evaporated milk
 ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
 ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg
 ¼ tsp Ground ginger
 1 dash Ground clove or allspice
 14 oz Can sweetened condensed milk
 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
 2 cups Fresh pumpkin mash (see note below)
1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Fill your teakettle with water and set on the stove to boil. Prepare a deep dish 9 inch round pie plate by coating the bottom with butter and then enough maple syrup to cover. Best to use the syrup cold, from the refrigerator. You may need to tilt the plate to coat the bottom. Place the pie plate in a roasting pan. I use a turkey roaster but a brownie pan would work well, if you have one large enough to hold the pie plate.

2

Place the eggs into a medium sized mixing bowl, add ½ teaspoon cold water and mix with a wire whisk until they are well blended. Add the evaporated milk and continue to mix. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. (Alternatively you can do this in a blender.)

3

Slowly pour the mixture into the pie plate, so the syrup remains on the bottom. Fill the roasting pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the pie plate. Bake until set, approximately 50 to 60 minutes. A tooth pick inserted in the center should come out clean. If the top starts to burn, reduce the heat a bit and cook longer.

4

Remove from the oven and remove the pie plate from the water pan. Run a knife around the edge to separate the flan from the pie plate. Place on a rack to cool then refrigerate for about 2 hours. Invert onto a plate before slicing. Serve cold.

TO MAKE FRESH PUMPKIN MASH:
5

This starts with a trip to Ben's Pumpkins in East Hardwick to purchase a New England Pie or Honey pumpkin. Clean the skin of the whole pumpkin with water and a vegetable brush. Place this on a baking dish and into a preheated 360 degree oven. Bake until the pumpkin collapses, or is very soft when pierced with a fork. Take it out of the oven and pull off the stem. Let it cool completely. Cut into quarters, then scoop out the seed and string and discard or set aside to make roasted pumpkin seeds. Scoop out the pulp and put into a food processor until smooth. If you are using a pie pumpkin you should have a nice thick mash that is ready to use in this recipe. If you are using a regular pumpkin, however, you may find that it contains too much water. If this is the case, before putting the pulp into the food processor, mash it with a potato masher, spread it on a baking dish and bake until the moisture is reduced.