Low-Fat Pumpkin Flan

This delicious pumpkin flan is the result of an experiment in replacing the recipe's usual cream and half-and-half with low-fat milk.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 259 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 ¼ cups white sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• ⅓ cup white sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 pinch ground mace
• 1 pinch ground allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
• 5 large eggs
• 1 ¾ cups low-fat milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out and reserved
• 2 tablespoons hulled toasted pumpkin seeds (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Step 2

Set eight (5 1/2 ounce) ramekins into a large baking dish.

Step 3

Stir together 1 1/4 cups sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until dark amber, about 10 minutes.

Step 4

Quickly divide the caramel among the ramekins; set aside.

Step 5

Whisk eggs, cinnamon, salt, cloves, ginger, allspice, mace, and 1/3 cup sugar together in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin puree until smooth.

Step 6

Heat milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it starts to gently bubble and steam. Remove from heat.

Step 7

Place vanilla bean seeds and pod in milk. Allow to soak for 10 minutes. Slowly strain hot milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk to form a thin custard.

Step 8

Divide the custard evenly among the ramekins, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top of each.

Step 9

Fill baking dish with hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the baking dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Step 10

Bake in the preheated oven until the flan is just set, 45 to 50 minutes.

Step 11

Remove ramekins from hot water to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least four hours.

Step 12

Run a knife around the inside edge of each ramekin and place an overturned plate on top. Invert and release the flan. Garnish and serve.