If you love pumpkin you will love these butternut squash custard parfaits. Layers of fluffy spiced butternut squash custard, and crumbly chocolate chip pumpkin bread topped with cinnamon whipped cream.
**This post was updated in October of 2019**
Thanksgiving week is here! There is so much to be excited for this week. First and foremost, the cooking.
For once spending hours in the kitchen for multiple days in a row is perfectly normal!
Secondly, the company. This will be the first Thanksgiving in many years that I’ll actually spend with my brother and sister in law. Plus, extra bonus, The Tibble’s are coming down from Davis with baby Max!
I love a baby’s first Thanksgiving. I’m pretty sure between the new turkey cooking plan I’m busting out, and the newly heated shanty town in our backyard (details to come post holiday), this is bound to be the best Thanksgiving ever.
Butternut Squash Custard
For those who are still looking for holiday recipe inspiration, may I suggest a butternut squash custard. Holy moly was this stuff delicious!
This was one of the squash ideas Grandma gave me when we were visiting a few weeks ago. She told me she doesn’t like pumpkin because it has too strong of a flavor. I had never really thought of pumpkin and butternut squash being an equal substitute for one another, but it totally worked!
The texture of the custard was absolutely perfect, and I’m now considering a squash pie for Thanksgiving over pumpkin……I never thought I’d utter those words.
The custard alone is delicious, but if you want to take things up a notch, you should give these parfaits a try. I had a loaf of chocolate chip pumpkin bread that I had made and I first considered spreading the custard onto the bread.
Then I thought a parfait might be a nice idea. I diced up the loaf and layered it with cinnamon whipped cream.
All I can say is WOW. Grandma was right. The delicate flavor of butternut squash is just perfect in this dish. The fluffy custard texture is amazing, and all the flavors just scream fall dessert.
If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to see it! Tag me @betsylife on Facebook or Instagram and I’ll share your creations!
Butternut Squash Custard
Butternut squash custard parfaits are a great no bake dessert for your holiday table.
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash halved and seeded
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 pure maple syrup
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- hot water
Instructions
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Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place squash on a roasting pan and cook 35-45 minutes until soft. Scoop the flesh from the squash into a food processor, and process until smooth.
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Place the oven rack in the middle position and reduce heat to 325°F  Butter or spray 6 ramekins. (see note)
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In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cream, milk, syrup and 1/2 cup pureed squash. Save remaining squash for another use. Heat mixture until just until barely simmering.
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Meanwhile, In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour the squash mixture very slowly into the yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup, pressing the liquid out of the solid.
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Place the prepared ramekins in a pan with high sides, and pour the strained mixture into the ramekins.
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Set the pan on the oven rack. Carefully add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.  Bake the custards for 40-45  minutes, or until set and a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean.
Recipe Notes
If you want to make custards on their own, use small ramekins. If you want to make parfaits, use half pint mason jars.Â
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Leona says
Do you cook the custard if you are making it on its own? like could it be a substitute for poured custard over cake for example? hot or cold?
betsy says
I suppose you could use it as a substitute without cooking it but I’m not familiar with pouring custard over a cake so I can’t say for sure