Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ cups Whole Milk or Half-and-Half (300 ml)
  • ½ cup Heavy Cream (Double Cream) (120 ml)
  • 15 oz can Canned Pumpkin Purée (425 g)
  • 4 Large Egg Yolks
  • ½ cup Granulated Erythritol/Monk Fruit Blend (100 g)
  • 3 tablespoons Cornstarch (Maizena) (25 g)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, sweetener blend, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
  2. Separate and Ready: Place the egg yolks in a separate large bowl. Have the whisk ready.
  3. Combine Wet Base: In the saucepan, whisk together the milk, heavy cream, and pumpkin purée until completely smooth.
  4. Heat the Base: Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until tiny bubbles appear around the edges. Do not boil.
  5. Create the Paste: Reduce the heat to low. Whisk the prepared dry mixture (sweetener, spices, cornstarch) thoroughly into the hot pumpkin base until no lumps remain. The mixture will thicken slightly.
  6. Temper the Yolks (The Key Step): Slowly ladle about 1 cup (240ml) of the hot pumpkin mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking vigorously the entire time. The goal is to bring the yolks up to temperature without cooking them.
  7. Return to Pan: Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining pumpkin mixture.
  8. Cook to Thickness: Increase the heat to medium-low. Cook, whisking constantly and scraping the bottom and sides, for 2-4 minutes until the pudding is thick enough to visibly coat the back of a spoon (Nappé stage).
  9. Finish the Flavour: Remove the pan immediately from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and the optional tablespoon of unsalted butter.
  10. Strain for Silkiness: Pour the hot pudding mixture immediately through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. This step removes any potential spice clumps or accidentally cooked egg bits, ensuring a truly silky pudding.
  11. Portion and Cover: Divide the pudding evenly among the 6 ramekins or serving dishes.
  12. Prevent a Skin: Press a piece of cling film directly onto the surface of each pudding. This is essential to stop a rubbery ‘skin’ from forming as it cools.
  13. Chill: Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours, or preferably overnight, until thoroughly set and chilled.