Double-Ginger Pumpkin Flans

If you don't have individual ramekins, use custard cups or a 1 1/2-quart baking dish, which will require an additional 15 to 20 minutes in the oven.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 flan)

Ingredients

• Caramel:
• Cooking spray
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 1/4  cup  water
• 
  Flan:
• 1/3  cup  sugar
• 6  large egg yolks
• 1  cup  canned unsweetened pumpkin
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground ginger
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1  cup  2% reduced-fat milk
• 1/2  cup  half-and-half
• 1  teaspoon  grated peeled fresh ginger

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. To prepare caramel, lightly coat 6 (6-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook 4 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, without stirring, 6 minutes or until mixture turns golden around outside edges. Divide evenly into prepared ramekins. Set aside.

3. To prepare flan, combine 1/3 cup sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in pumpkin and next 3 ingredients (through cinnamon). Combine milk, half-and-half, and fresh ginger. Heat milk mixture over medium-high heat in a heavy saucepan to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Gradually add half of hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Reduce heat, and cook to 160°, stirring constantly with a whisk . Remove from heat. Strain through a sieve over a large bowl; discard solids.

4. Divide milk mixture evenly among prepared ramekins. Place cups in a 13 x 9–inch baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1-inch. Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cups from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Chill at least 8 hours.

5. Carefully loosen edges of custards with a knife. Invert ramekins onto plates. Drizzle any remaining caramel over custards.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

224 (31% from fat)

Fat:

7.6g (sat 3.6g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.8g)

Protein:

5.1g

Carbohydrate:

34.9g

Fiber:

1.3g

Cholesterol:

215mg

Iron:

1.2mg

Sodium:

39mg

Calcium:

106mg