Pumpkin Souffle

We make this dessert every Thanksgiving. Not only is it super easy to make (no pie crust yippee!!) but it tastes so good! Of course, we always have apple and pumpkin pie as our traditional dessert staples, but so has this dessert. You must serve it just after it has come out of the oven and cooled just a bit — it is not a leftover dessert.

Servings: 8 souffles

Ingredients

  • 8 tsp plus 1 C sugar
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 C all purpose flour
  • 1 C whole milk
  • 1 C canned solid pack pumpkin
  • 7 large egg whites
  • Pinch of salt
  • Sweetened whipped cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375F. Butter eight 3/4 cup souffle dishes or custard cups. Sprinkle each dish with 1 tsp sugar. Set aside. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in large bowl to blend. Add flour and whisk until smooth paste forms.

Bring milk to boil in medium saucepan. Gradually whisk hot milk into egg mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat until custard thickens and comes to boil, about 2 minutes. Whisk in pumpkin. Pour into large bowl; cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before continuing).

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites, salt and 1/3 of whites into pumpkin mixture. Fold in remaining whites. Divide pumpkin mixture among prepared dishes (pumpkin mixture will reach top).

Bake until souffles rise about 2 inches above rims of dishes, centers are softly set and tops are golden brown, about 40 minutes. Transfer souffles to plates. Serve immediately with whipped cream.