Custard Baked Inside a Pumpkin

This recipe goes back to George Washington ... it was one of his favorites.

SERVES 8

Ingredients:

1 pumpkin – 5 to 7 pounds

6 whole eggs

2 cups, whipping cream

1/2 cup, brown sugar

1 tablespoon, molasses

1/2 teaspoon, freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon, cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon, ground ginger

2 tablespoons, butter

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the lid off of the pumpkin.  

Remove the pulp and seeds (save seeds for toasting later, if desired).

Mix together the remaining ingredients except for the butter.

Fill the pumpkin with this custard mixture, and top with the butter.

Replace the lid of the pumpkin to cover the custard, and place the pumpkin in a shallow baking pan.

Bake in the 350 degree preheated oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the mixture inside has set like a custard.

Serve the custard from the pumpkin at the table, scraping a bit of the pumpkin meat to include with each serving.