Pumpkin Crème Brulee

Loaded with autumn flavours and the lovely taste of Madagascar Vanilla. Thank you My Baking Addiction

1 whole vanilla bean
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/3 cup granulated sugar for brule topping

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Slice the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the caviar from inside the bean; reserve the bean.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, vanilla bean, scraped caviar, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until it comes to a boil. 
• Immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse at least 15 minutes.
• Remove bean from cream mixture.
• In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
• Whisking constantly, gradually pour in the hot cream mixture.
• Whisk in the pumpkin puree.
• Pour the mixture into 4 ovenproof ramekins and arrange in a hot water bath.
• Bake in the center of the oven until almost set but still a bit soft in the center, 40-50 minutes.
• The custard should "shimmy" a bit when you shake the pan; it will firm up more as it cools.
• Remove from the water bath and let cool 15 minutes.
• Tightly cover each ramekin with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic does not touch the surface of the custard.
• Refrigerate at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hours.
• When ready to serve, preheat a broiler to very hot (or fire up your kitchen torch).
• Uncover the chilled custards.
• Pour as much coarse sugar as will fit onto the top of 1 of the custards.
• Pour off the remaining sugar onto the next custard.
• Repeat until all the custards are coated.
• Discard any remaining sugar.
• Place the ramekins on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan and broil until the sugar is melted and well browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Let cool 1 minute before serving.