Are you ready for a delicious Thanksgiving dessert? Get ready for Maple Pumpkin Pudding!
If you love maple like I do, you might want to try this delicious pudding chomeur.
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As the last fleeting days of summer roll past, I anticipate the fall with great delight. We were fortunate this year that summer was not too ridiculously hot here. Even so, I look forward to a couple of months of open windows, of an extra blanket on the bed to snuggle beneath, of hot tea and spiced cider. And of pumpkin. 
Autumn is my favorite season of the year. I even wrote a haiku about autumn today:
Dark mornings; cool nights
Warmed by cinnamon and spice
It’s sweater weather.
Fall is the only season in which I can make a dessert the color of the leaves around me.
Some of you may know that I have only come to appreciate pumpkin desserts over the past few years. Most of the pumpkin pies I had ever tried seemed bland and muddy, and a bit rubbery. My new and enduring rule for most pumpkin recipes I find these days is simple and effective: half the spices, double the salt.
The roasted flesh of pumpkins has a sweet and delicate earthiness that begs to be enhanced with spices, not overshadowed by them. And, lest we forget, pumpkin is a gourd that passes for a vegetable, and it needs to be salted to so the flavor sings.
Salt makes flavors sing.
So does lemon.
Don’t forget.
This pumpkin pudding makes use of some heirloom pumpkin puree that I made and froze last year. Rather than sweetening with the expected granulated or brown sugar, I chose to use maple syrup, allowing one sweet earthy note to reinforce another.
You can choose to serve this pudding as is, or for textural contrast, candy some pecans or some pepitas in maple syrup, salt and a bit of spice. This would also work nicely as filling for individual pumpkin tartlets.
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Maple Pumpkin Pudding (with Maple Spiced Pecans)
Feel free to double this maple pumpkin pudding recipe if you'd like to feed more people or if you just want larger portions. As is, this recipe yields 4- 1/2 cup servings.
Ingredients
For the Maple Spiced Pecans (which are optional)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice or your preferred "baking spice" blend
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup pecan halves
For the Maple Pumpkin Pudding
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon maple extract, (optional)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter, (.75 oz)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 6 oz (generous 2/3 cup) pumpkin puree (homemade or canned--not pie filling)
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch or flour
- 2 egg yolks
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 oz (by weight) pure maple syrup (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice, (or similar)
Instructions
For the Nuts
- Put the maple syrup, butter, salt and spice/s in a heavy-bottomed skillet.
- Heat over medium heat until the butter is melted.
- Add the nuts, stirring to coat.
- Let the nuts cook in the syrup until the syrup hardens into a candy when you spread a bit on a Silpat. This will take about 5-7 minutes of almost constant stirring.
- Spread the nuts in a single layer on Silpat to cool (you can also use a lightly oiled cookie sheet).
- Once cool, chop some and leave some whole. You'll have more than you need for garnishing the pudding, so you'll have some for snacking.
For the Pudding
- Put the lemon juice, vanilla, optional maple extract and butter in a medium bowl. Set a fine metal strainer over the bowl, and keep convenient to the stove.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, pumpkin puree, cornstarch/flour, yolks, salt, maple syrup and spices.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. (once it heats up some but before it boils, taste and adjust seasonings if necessary)
- Let boil about 30-45 seconds, until uniformly thick and no longer foamy.
- Pour into the strainer, scraping the pan well.
- Press the pudding through the strainer to catch any egg bits or errant strings from the pumpkin.
- Stir well to combine the pudding with the butter and flavorings.
- Pour into individual serving cups or pre-baked mini tart shells.
- Let cool and then refrigerate until cold, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Dollop on some plain yogurt, sour cream or creme fraiche. I used sour cream and didn't even bother to sweeten it. It went really well with the pudding.
- Garnish with the chopped and/or whole nuts.
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Thank you so much for spending some time here today. Enjoy the pudding, and happy pre-Fall!
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm says
Ohhhh my Jenni this looks amazing, I MUST try this!!! Have you ever thought of torching some brown sugar on top and making this like creme brûlée??
Jennifer Field says
That would be spectacular, Sophia!
Denise says
I am right there with you on thinking that Fall may be my favorite time of the year. And I am a huge pumpkin fan, but have never made pumpkin pudding! I like the spiced nuts as a topping – great texture!
Jennifer Field says
It was actually just an experiment, and it turned out so much better than I’d anticipated (and I thought it would at least be *good.*) Pretty sure there is no reason not to make it!
It’s going to be 91F here today. I guess the weather didn’t read my post. Sigh.
The Ninja Baker says
Bravo for writing haiku =) Very much appreciate your yummy maple pumpkin pudding recipe, too, Jen. Now I’m ready for crisp temps and leaves – even tho’ it’s not quite as colorful and cool as yours in NC =)
Jennifer Field says
Still, we take what we can get, right? When I lived in FL, I was happy when it was below 85! lol
I’m in a facebook group called Monday Morning Haiku Club–you should join if you’re on fb. Fun!
vanillasugarblog says
Ms. Jenni these came out perfectly.
And thank you for the “texture”
LOL!
Jennifer Field says
Anything for you, Dawn! =) And they really are so good–I’m happier than I even thought I’d be!
Dionne Baldwin says
I love the haiku! I’ll have to remember that one. I do like pumpkin but I’m pretty much the only one in my house that can tolerate it. There is a good chance if I try one of your recipes and serve it up everyone will be a little more open when I tell them, “This is one of Jenni’s recipes! She’s a real pastry chef!” It’s all in the presentation…
Speaking of presentation, gorgeous photos! The first one with the beautiful serving tray makes me think of trying to refrain from diving into the pudding in an un-ladylike manner. 🙂 I don’t want to get your tray dirty!
Jennifer Field says
You could always cut back a bit on the pumpkin part and sort of ease them into it, Dionne! lol
I’m glad you like the photos! Currently, I am Miffed with foodgawker for rejecting them and saying “awkward angle.” Poo. =)
Stacy says
I rather feel as you did about pumpkin pie. When my choice is pumpkin or pecan (the usual suspects in my family) I have to go with sticky pecan every time. That pudding, on the other hand, looks delightfully more-ish! What a gorgeous color and I love the way you’ve added cream and pecans. I’d have probably added another drizzle of maple syrup on top but I never do know when to stop with these things. Foodgawker is a jerk.
Jennifer Field says
Thank you for confirming my Foodgawker Suspicions, Stacy! lol
A wee drop of maple syrup would be lovely on top. It really is good stuff. I’m kind of glad I only made 4, otherwise I’d have been in trouble! =)
Jo-Anne says
Oh my goodness! I made this today for a special dessert for a special couple at Church. I was on dinner duty today and this rounded out the meal. The gentleman has a sugar house and I still had some of his syrup from February, so it was fun to make it for him and his wife using the syrup he produced. I used fat free milk (because that’s what I drink) and while I didn’t have apple pie spice, I did have pumpkin pie spice (interchangeable?). I also had, by chance, maple flavoring that I just received from KAF! I also whipped up 4 tablespoons of heavy cream to top each serving – by hand, just as I’ve seen you do! It came out perfect and I even got to have a serving all to myself. I would definitely make this again.
Jo-Anne says
Oh my goodness! I made this today for a special dessert for a special couple at Church. I was on dinner duty today and this rounded out the meal. The gentleman has a sugar house and I still had some of his syrup from February, so it was fun to make it for him and his wife using the syrup he produced. I used fat free milk (because that’s what I drink) and while I didn’t have apple pie spice, I did have pumpkin pie spice (interchangeable?). I also had, by chance, maple flavoring that I just received from KAF! I also whipped up 4 tablespoons of heavy cream to top each serving – by hand, just as I’ve seen you do! It came out perfect and I even got to have a serving all to myself. I would definitely make this again.
Jennifer Field says
Oh, wow–with all that serendipity, I’d have been surprised if you didn’t make them! So glad everyone was happy!
There’s a slight difference in the spice blend and ratios of spices between AP and PP spice, but I like such light spicing for stuff like that that I pretty much use it interchangeably. How fun that you got to use the guy’s syrup in the pudding, Jo-Anne!
Brooks says
Jenni, the pending change of season has escaped me, but this lovely post seems to hasten it now. You’re right—cookery this time of year can reflect the foliage. I share your thoughts regarding pumpkin to a T, it’s as if you read my mind, but please don’t get me started on FG. Excuse me please, for I must dash off to pin this pudding. Cheers!
Jennifer Field says
Oh, I’m glad I’m not alone in my Punkin Stance, Brooks! =) And if you do make this, please let me know how you like it!
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm says
LOVE it!! I also love that you teach about baking and tell people why you add certain things! Really makes sense! Thanks Jenni you rock!
Jennifer Field says
Thanks, Sophia! I do try to be helpful–I think it’s important to explain how flavors go together so folks are less tied to recipes and more to their own palates. =)
Betsy @ Desserts Required says
It’s so funny to think that your love of pumpkin came about just recently because your Maple Pumpkin Pudding looks like it was developed by a life long pumpkin lover. Then again, that may be another one of the fabulous things about you, Jenni…your ability to acquire a new taste for something and turn that into a gorgeous and delicious dish that belie the years it took to develop.
Jennifer Field says
You are too kind. I have not had my coffee yet, and you are making me well up. 🙂