Pumpkin Crème Brûlée

For many dessert lovers, crème brûlée is the ultimate indulgence, but one that they feel guilty about because of its formidable amounts of fat. If you are a crème brûlée lover, you are in luck with the recipe that follows. Lowfat milk replaces the cream and the number of egg yolks has been reduced, but the thick, rich texture of pumpkin purée makes up the difference.

2 cups lowfat (1%) milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 egg whites
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin purée
1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and white pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, remove from the heat, cover and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg whites, granulated sugar and salt. Return the milk mixture to a simmer and, whisking constantly, add about 1 cup of the hot milk to the egg mixture to warm it. Then stir the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Gently whisk the pumpkin purée into the custard mixture until well combined but not frothy and pour into six 8-ounce ramekins or custard cups. Line the bottom of a baking pan (large enough to comfortably hold all the ramekins) with paper towels and place the ramekins on top. Pour boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins and bake until the custard is set but still slightly wobbly, about 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate.
5. Just before serving time, preheat the broiler. Place the brown sugar in a fine-mesh sieve and sprinkle the tops of the custards evenly with the sugar. Place the custards on a baking sheet and broil 6 inches from the heat until the tops have caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes. Watch the custards carefully so they don't burn. Cool for several minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition Information (values are per serving)

calories 176 o dietary fiber 0.5 g o total fat 3.4 g o beta carotene 3.6 mg o saturated fat 1.3 g o vitamin c 2.0 mg o cholesterol 110 mg o calcium 134 mg o sodium 187 mg o iron 1.1 mg

Source: UC Berkeley WellnessLetter.com