Pumpkin Custards with Cardamom Topping

 This is a good recipe for pie crust challenged cooks, all kidding aside, it is very good and a different use of pumpkin instead of pie. The spice Cardamom is often used in Indian cooking and in breads and rolls. In Minnesota it is used in sweet rolls and breads by the large Scandinavian population. In the topping for these pumpkin custards it lends a different flavor to the topping. We ate them without whipped cream or ice cream but thought a soft whipped cream would have been good served on the side. Easy to make they do take a little time to bake and cool, but well worth the wait.

Pumpkin Custards with Cardamom Topping

Filling

3 eggs lightly beaten

1 15 oz can of pumpkin (not pie filling)

1 ½ cups heavy cream

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

⅛ teaspoon table salt

Topping

¼ cup all purpose flour

¼ cup packed brown sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

2 tablespoons cold butter

¼ cup pecans toasted and chopped

 Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix sugar and spices, add the pumpkin, heavy cream and lightly beaten eggs. Mix well and divide between 8 six ounce custard cups. Place cups in a roasting or cake pan lined with a light kitchen towel (keeps them from sliding around). Pour hot (not boiling) water around cups to a depth of halfway up cups. Bake in 350°F oven for 25 minutes.

 While they are baking, mix topping ingredients cutting in butter till it resembles small crumbs. Stir in toasted pecans and sprinkle over partly baked custards. Return to oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more or until cold table knife inserted off center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack for 1 hour and than cover loosely and cool in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Maybe stored covered loosely up to 24 hours. Makes 8 custards