Desserts Recipes - Pumpkin with Coconut Custard Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 small pumpkin, about 1.3kg/3lb, halved, seeded and fibers removed

• 400ml/1 2/3 cups coconut milk

• 3 large (US extra large) eggs

• 45ml/3 tbsp palm sugar (jaggery), plus a little extra for sprinkling

• salt

For the sauce:

• 250ml/1 cup coconut cream

• 30ml/2 tbsp palm sugar

Serves 4-8

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Place the pumpkin halves, skin side down, in a baking dish.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the coconut milk with a pinch of salt the eggs and sugar, until the mixture is thick and smooth.

3. Pour the custard into each pumpkin half and sprinkle a little extra sugar over the top of the custard and the rim of the pumpkin.

4. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. The pumpkin should feel tender when a skewer is inserted in it and the custard should feel firm when lightly touched. If you like, you can brown the top further under the grill (broiler).

5. Just before serving, heat the coconut cream in a pan with a pinch of salt and the sugar.

6. Scoop out servings of pumpkin flesh with the custard and place it in bowls. Pour a little sweetened coconut cream over the top to serve.

Sweet and fragrant, this dessert is sheer indulgence. The hot coconut sauce is the perfect topping for the custard-filled pumpkin.

Variation: Baked mangoes or butternut squash are the obvious substitutes for pumpkin, but - surprisingly - baked avocadoes also combine wonderfully well with sweet ingredients. Sweetened avocado is also immensely popular in Brazil. If using, you may need to adjust the quantity of custard, and the cooking time.