Japanese pumpkin pudding
About Japanese pumpkin pudding
Simply put, Japanese pumpkin pudding is caramel custard pudding with pumpkin paste. It has a rich and smooth texture and it is very popular in Japan. When autumn comes and Halloween is near, people often make it at home. So, if you search on the internet, you will find many recipes. As it is easy to make and nutritious, I think it’s the perfect Halloween dessert to make at home.
In this post, I will share the recipe that I usually make, and I always use kabocha pumpkin/squash for this recipe. Kabocha is the most common pumpkin in Japan and it is sweet and fluffy. It has a considerably higher carbohydrate content than other pumpkins, which is a factor in the sweet flavor and crumbly texture typical to kabocha pumpkin. Therefore, if you use kabocha pumpkin, I think you can make the pudding similar to the original Japanese one. Regarding kabocha nutrition and health benefit, please read from the link below.
Recipe tips
Here are some tips on how to make it well, so read it before you make it.
I think the most common problem is that it separates into two layers. That’s because pumpkins have a lot of starch and are heavy, so they sink before they set. The solution is to mix well just before pouring into the mold. And keep the pudding liquid warm. If you bring it close to the temperature at which it starts to coagulate in advance, it will set before it sinks, preventing it from forming two layers.
However, in order to make a smooth pudding, you need to be careful not to heat the milk /cream above 60C=140F. Because the eggs start to set at 65C=149F degrees. In addition, preheat the oven and prepare to bake as soon as the pudding liquid is ready.
I bake the pudding in a hot water bath. You place the mold of pudding in a shallow oven safe dish. Fill this dish with hot water. This prevents from curdling or cracking and helps smooth silky finish.
Japanese pumpkin pudding
Equipment
- A mold with 1 later capacity and not removable bottom
- A blender or food processor
- A small saucepan
- A oven dish which is larger than the cold
Ingredients
- 80 gram Granulated sugar for caramel sauce
- 2 tablespoon Water for caramel sauce
- 2 tablespoon Hot water for caramel sauce
- 250~300 gram Kabocha pumpkin (net weight after removing skin and seeds)
- 3 Large eggs
- 75 gram Granulated sugar
- 200 ml Milk
- 100 ml Fresh cream
Instructions
- Make caramel sauce: put granulated sugar (80g) and 2 tablespoon water in a small saucepan. Heat the saucepan over medium heat. When the surroundings turn amber, rotate the pan and when the whole turns dark brown, remove from the heat add hot water and mix. Return the pan to heat and cook until it turns syrupy.
- Pour the caramel sauce into the mold. Preheat oven at 160C = 320F degree.
- Cut the Kabocha pumpkin and scoop away the seeds and pulp with a spoon. Slice, then remove the hard rind with a knife.
- Cover with a lid or cling film and heat the pumpkin in the microwave for about 4 ~5 minutes or until tender. (It's okay if you insert a bamboo skewer and it passes easily.) If there is any liquid released from pumpkin, drain it well.
- Heat the milk and fresh cream in the microwave to about 50-60 C degrees. (60C=140F degree: It's quite hot, but you can touch it for a while.) Add sugar and mix until the sugar is dissolved.
- Put the warm pumpkin and half of milk mixture in a blender and blend. Then add the rest of the milk mixture and blend. Check the temperature of pumpkin mixture to see if it exceeds 60C = 140F. If not, add eggs and blend until smooth. If exceeded, cool to 60C = 140F degrees, add eggs and blend.
- Strain the mixture with a fine mesh strainer. Pour the mixture into the mold with caramel sauce.
- Place the mold of pudding in a shallow oven safe dish. Fill this dish with hot water. Bake it at 160C = 320F degrees for about 50 minutes. If the surface starts to burn, cover with aluminum foil. Check with a skewer, if the skewer is clean, it is done.
- Cool the pudding on a wire rack, and when cooled to room temperature, transfer to the fridge and cool in the refrigerator at least 2 ~3 hours but ideally overnight. Insert a knife between the mold and the pudding.
- Cover with a plate, turn it over, and remove it from the mold. cut it to your liking!
Notes
It’s easy and delicious, so please give it a try. I put a link below for a dessert using pumpkin, so if you like, try making it as well.
Thank you for reading and Bon Appetit!
