Pumpkin Souffle

Another way to do pumpkin during the fall.

This recipe has quite a few eggs and butter but becuase it makes about 8-10 individual souflees you are really only getting about one tablespoon of butter and one egg per person.










8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan and souffle dishes
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for souffle dishes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
9 large eggs, separated
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting





Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a small baking sheet. Spread pumpkin puree evenly over prepared baking sheet. Bake about 20 minutes just to get a little bit of the moisture out of the pumpkin. It will still be fairly soft when finished. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Add cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and vanilla extract to pumpkin mixture. You can use a pumpkin pie spice blend if you prefer becuase those are the flavors you are going for in this souffle. Stir to combine. Cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
In a small saucepan, combine milk and fresh ginger. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. remove the ginger.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter six 10-ounce souffle dishes. Dust with granulated sugar, tapping out excess.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth. Gradually add the steeped milk, whisking constantly, and continue to cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the pumpkin mixture and the brown sugar to milk mixture; stir to combine. Stir in egg yolks. Transfer to a large bowl, and place bowl in the ice-water bath to cool mixture completely.
Combine egg whites and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and beat until stiff glossy peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg whites into chilled pumpkin mixture in two stages.
Pour into prepared souffle dishes, mounding mixture slightly over the rim. Smooth surfaces of souffles with your fingertip. Bake until tops are colored and dry to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately.