Light Pumpkin Souffles

Have I mentioned I love pumpkin? Because, I do. The only thing I don’t like about pumpkin is that the canned variety has a somewhat odd amount in it and most recipes call for a cup, not a can, of pumpkin. So, I had a little leftover from my muffins. I considered making pancakes or french toast, but wanted something dessert-y so I went a searchin’ on some of my favorite recipe sites.

I saw this recipe for ginger-pumpkin souffles on Epicurious and used it as inspiration. I didn’t have soy milk or ginger, and the recipe was pretty much impossible to cut down, especially considering I have 4 oz, not 6 oz, ramekins. So, it’s safe to say that my recipe is really nothing like that one, but it did give me the idea and the technique.

I have a fear of custard making. Well, really, I have a fear of curdled eggs and milk. I think I have mentioned on here before that I hate tempering eggs. Half the time I end up with scrambled eggs in my soup (or whatever I am making). I am just not cut out for egg tempering. So, to boil milk, add hot milk to egg yolks and then cook it on a stove top without it curdling? Yeah, SO not for my forte’. For me to not even REALLY go by a recipe? This was looking to be a disaster.

Somehow, it wasn’t. Somehow, what I ended up with were light, fluffy, spicy, warm pumpkin-pie like mini souffles. And they are even low cal! This made 4 souffles (4 oz each) but 3 probably would have been a better estimate to make them a little bigger/rise a little higher.

Pumpkin Spice Souffles

6 Tbsp. half and half
1 cinnamon stick or a couple good shakes cinnamon
dash of cloves
dash of nutmeg
1 egg yolk
5 tsp. sugar, divided
2 tsp. flour
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 375 and grease 4 (or 3) 4 oz. ramekins or 2 6 or 8 oz. ramekins.

In a small sauce pan, bring half and half and half, cinnamon, cloves & nutmeg to a boil. Remove the pan from heat, cover and let it steep for about 10-15 minutes. Strain, and discard cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 2.5 tsp of sugar. Whisk in the flour until well combined.

(Scary part number 1). Gradually add the hot milk to the egg yolk mixture and whisk continually so it doesn’t curdle.

(Scary part number 2). Add the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and can coat the back of a spoon (about 2 minutes).

Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in the pumpkin puree.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add in remaining 2.5 tsp sugar and continue to beat with a mixer until the egg whites form stiff peaks. Don’t overmix and dry out.

Fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture at a time into the pumpkin/yolk mixture, being careful not to deflate.

Spoon mixture into prepared rameskins and place them in a pan/dish. Pour hot water into the dish, coming up about 1 inch on the ramekins.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until souffles have risen and tops have become browned.

Top with powdered sugar and/or whipped cream, if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition info per souffle, if you make 4: Calories: 80 / Fat: 4g / Carbs: 8.2g / Fiber: 0.5g / Sugar: 5.8g / Protein: 3.2g