Satomi’s Kabocha Purin (Japanese Pumpkin Custard)

Purin is a Japanese creamy, smooth caramel custard dessert with a rich, silky texture, very similar to flan. And this version has a delicious pumpkin flavor!

Satomi, my friend from middle and high school, was super smart, tiny, cute, soft-spoken, and amazing at sewing and cooking back then—and she still is today! I always feel so loud, large and clumsy compared to her, haha!

One year, John grew too much kabocha in our garden, so I asked Satomi for kabocha dessert recipes. She shared a few, including kabocha purin. What’s purin? It’s Japanese caramel custard, similar to flan, and was my favorite childhood dessert!

This recipe has been adapted from the recipes Satomi shared with me, including ones from cook pad and Kyouno Ryouri (today’s cooking).

Note:

• If you don’t want to use kabocha, you can use a can of pumpkin puree too. The taste will be a bit different, but close enough!

• My mom said add tiny bit of acid such as lemon juice or vinegar to the sugar water before cooking. This will prevent the caramel cause from crystalizing. You won’t taste lemon nor vinegar at all! This is optional and you don’t need to add acid at all, but I highly recommend it.

Serve 8

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Ingredients

For flan:

• 2/3C heavy cream

• 4 large eggs

• 2 1/2C Kabocha, cooked, diced into about 1 inch (I use 3 heaping cup raw kabocha and either microwave or cook on the stove for 6~8 minutes.)

• 1 2/3C milk

• 1/2C sugar

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 2~3 tsp rum - optional

For caramel:

• 1/3C sugar

• 3 tbsp water

• 1/2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar - optional

• 2 tbsp hot water

Instructions

Caramel:

1. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and water (and lemon juice, if using) over medium-low heat. Let it cook without stirring or swirling the pan until the sugar begins to bubble. Once the sugar is dissolved and bubbling, gently swirl the pan frequently. Continue cooking until the mixture turns an amber color.

   

2. Remove the pan from heat and carefully add 2 tablespoons of hot water—be cautious, as the syrup will bubble aggressively for a few seconds! Swirl the pan constantly until the syrup and water are fully combined. Immediately pour the caramel into an 8-inch cake pan, tilting to evenly coat the bottom. Be very careful, as the caramel will be extremely hot. Let it stand at room temperature while you prepare the custard.

   

Custard:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and heavy cream, then set aside. In a blender, puree the kabocha, sugar, milk, rum, and cinnamon until smooth.

   

2. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the egg mixture through a fine mesh strainer, stirring as you go—this step ensures the custard is silky smooth. (You definitely don’t want chunks in your custard!) Once combined, pour the mixture into the cake pan and tap it gently on the counter a few times to remove air bubbles.

   

   

3. Place the pan inside a large baking dish. Fill the dish with hot water until it reaches about 1~2 inches up the sides of the pan. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 50~60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

   

4. Remove the baking dish from the oven—be very careful, as the water will be very hot! Leave the custard in the pan and let it cool slowly to room temperature. Once cooled, cover it with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 3~4 hours. When ready to serve, run a knife along the edge of the pan to loosen the custard. Place a plate on top of the pan, then carefully and quickly flip it over to release the custard. (Don’t worry if there are cracks on top—they’ll be hidden once the custard is inverted!)

   

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