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pumpkin parfait recipe
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5 from 1 vote

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cranberry Parfait Recipe

This dessert has it all: the flavor and creaminess of pumpkin pie, a burst of color from the cranberry jam, and a touch of crunch. 
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Chill time2 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fall recipes, fruit recipes, gluten-free dessert recipes, pumpkin recipes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Bravetart

Ingredients

Whipped Pumpkin Custard, about eight ½ cup servings

  • ¼ ounce powdered gelatin
  • 1 ½ ounces whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 ounces egg yolk, from about 4 large eggs; whites reserved for the Pecan Meringues
  • 5 ounces light brown sugar, for the custard
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 8 ounces whole milk
  • 9 ounces pumpkin, butternut squash, or sweet potato puree
  • 6 ounces heavy cream
  • 2 ounces brown sugar, for whipping the cream

Instructions

Making the custard base:

  • Combine the gelatin, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl, stirring with a fork to thoroughly combine. You’ll also need a 4-cup capacity container and a mesh sieve on hand.
  • Put the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl, then whisk in the brown sugar a little at a time (if you add it all at once, it may be very difficult to stir). Whisk in the cinnamon, salt, and ginger too.
  • Meanwhile, bring the milk to a simmer in a 2 quart stainless steel pot. Once hot, shut off the heat to prevent the milk from scorching while you temper the yolks. Ladle a bit of hot milk into the yolks, whisking gently to combine. It’ll be crazy thick at first, but loosen as the milk incorporates. Keep adding more milk until the yolks feel warm and fluid. Pour the yolk-mixture into the pot, whisking to combine it with the remaining milk.
  • Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a flexible spatula, until the custard thickens noticeably, about 4 minutes.
  • Shut off the heat and whisk in the pumpkin puree. Strain the custard into the prepared container, then add the vanilla gelatin. Stir with a fork until the gelatin has completely melted and incorporated into the custard. Cover with plastic and refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to 10 days) before proceeding.

Finishing the whipped custard:

  • With a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream and brown sugar until stiff peaks form. Meanwhile, transfer the cold custard to a medium sized bowl; stir with a spatula until creamy. Add the stiffly whipped cream in two additions, folding gently to combine.
  • Portion into individual dishes, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving (or up to 24 hours). The whipped custard will technically keep for a week, but will begin to loose its airy texture after that first day. Not that it’ll be any less delicious…

Putting it all together:

  • Immediately before serving, top the Whipped Pumpkin Custard with a spoonful of Cranberry Jam a handful of crushed Meringues or Macarons.