Spiced pumpkin fondants with black pepper cardamom custard
Here’s a sweet alternative to pumpkin pie – pumpkin fondants served with a spiced custard.
Ingredients
For the fondants
- 90g/3¼ oz unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus 50g/1¾ oz melted for brushing
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú light brown sugar
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú pumpkin ±è³Ü°ùé±ð
- 3 free-range eggs, beaten
- 45g/1½ oz golden syrup
- 90²µ/3¼´Ç³ú plain flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground ginger
For the custard
- 250ml/9fl oz full-fat milk
- 250ml/9fl oz double cream
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 free-range egg yolks
- 75²µ/2½´Ç³ú caster sugar
- generous pinch freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the fondants, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Brush the inside of 6 fondant moulds (about 5cm/2in high 8cm/3¼in diameter) with the melted butter. Leave in the fridge to chill until the butter has set, then brush with more melted butter and pop into the fridge again until needed.
Cream the 90²µ/3¼´Ç³ú butter with the sugar in a bowl with a wooden spoon or in a stand mixer, until light and fluffy, then mix in the pumpkin ±è³Ü°ùé±ð, beaten egg and golden syrup.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour and spices together, then beat the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Pour the batter into the moulds and leave in the fridge to chill for about 20 minutes.
Put the fondants on a baking tray and cook in the oven for about 10–15 minutes, or until risen with a little wobble.
To make the custard, heat the milk and cream with the cardamom and vanilla on a medium-low heat, stirring often, until it starts to gently bubble. Set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar in a separate bowl until pale and fluffy, then whisk in the slightly cooled cardamom cream mixture. Pour the custard back into the pan and place over a low heat on the hob. Simmer until the mixture thickens to a custard-like consistency. Add a generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
To serve, carefully turn the fondants out. Pour some custard into a shallow bowl to serve and carefully place each fondant on top.
