Butternut Squash Crème Brûlée Recipe

Cut the butternut flesh into large cubes and steam them for 20 to 30 minutes. I prefer steaming over boiling because it absorbs less moisture. Mash the flesh into a puree.

While the butternut is cooking, heat the milk and cream mixture with the cinnamon stick. It should be warmed, but not brought to a boil. Let the cinnamon infuse, then remove the stick. Whisk the egg yolks with the powdered sugar. Add the butternut puree, then gradually pour in the warmed milk. Mix, then strain the preparation. Preheat the oven to 150° C.

Pour the mixture into the molds and bake for 1 hour. Once the creams are cooked, they should be set but still slightly wobbly. Let cool, then store them in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours.

Make the small pumpkins with marzipan: take pieces of marzipan and roll them in the palms of your hands. Slightly flatten the top, then use a skewer to draw the segments of the pumpkin. Place a small piece of green marzipan to represent the stem. This part can easily be done with children; marzipan can be molded like modeling clay.

To finish, at the time of serving, sprinkle the surface of the creams with brown sugar. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar. If you don't have a torch, quickly place the creams under the broiler in the oven. Decorate with marzipan pumpkins and serve.