Recipe: Pumpkin crème brûlée with amaretto-cranberry sauce

Gingered amaretto cranberry sauce

1 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 medium pear, peeled, cored and diced

2 cups whole cranberries

Juice and grated zest of 1 orange

1/4 cup amaretto liqueur

1. Combine water, sugar and ginger in medium non-aluminum saucepan. Stir until sugar dissolves, then boil 5 minutes. Add pear, reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Add cranberries, orange juice and zest and continue simmering, without stirring, until berries pop, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Add liqueur. Puree in food processor, if desired. Makes about 4 cups.

Pumpkin crème brûlée

Servings: 6 to 8

3 cups whipping cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

6 egg yolks

6 tablespoons sugar

3/4 cup finely pureed cooked pumpkin

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

Gingered Amaretto Cranberry Sauce

Sweetened whipped cream

1. Scald cream and vanilla in saucepan. Beat egg yolks and sugar in large mixing bowl until thick. Beat pumpkin, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into egg mixture. Slowly whisk in hot cream.

2. Pour into 6-cup refrigerator-to-oven dish or into 8 1/2-cup ramekins. Place in baking dish and pour in boiling water to come halfway up dish. Bake at 350 degrees 45 to 60 minutes. Chill 8 hours or overnight.

3. Preheat broiler and place rack 8 to 10 inches below it. Sieve brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over custard. Place dish in large pan and surround with ice cubes. Place on broiler and, watching carefully, let brown sugar heat until it just begins to bubble, brown and melt. Remove from broiler and cool 10 minutes. Return to broiler and repeat until sugar is very brown, but not burned.

3. Remove and chill 2 hours. Serve with Gingered Amaretto-Cranberry Sauce and sweetened whipped cream.