A molten custard in the shell of burnt sugar, built on the shelf's ready-made eggnog. The pumpkin spice whispers through without competing. Weeknight elegant.

Serves 2. 35 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 500 calories a serving, 28 g protein, 25 g carbohydrate, 31 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Heat 1.25 cups eggnog with 0.25 cup heavy cream in a saucepan over medium until it steams; do not boil. While it heats, whisk 3 large egg yolks with 3 tablespoons sugar and a pinch of salt until pale, about two minutes.
2. Slowly pour the hot eggnog into the yolks while whisking constantly. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, add a pinch of pumpkin spice, and divide between two shallow ramekins.
3. Arrange the ramekins in a baking pan and pour hot water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 20 to 22 minutes; the centers should jiggle slightly when moved. Chill at least 15 minutes or up to two days ahead.22 min
4. When ready to serve, blot the tops dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle 0.5 teaspoon sugar on each custard and use a torch to melt and char it until it forms a hard shell, about one minute per ramekin.

Note To skip the torch, chill the brûlée completely and skip the sugar top, serving it as a silken custard instead. Covered, leftovers hold three days. Serve with crisp shortbread or gingersnaps on the side, or alongside poached pears if you have them.