Savory pumpkin flans with Parmesan fondue and crispy bacon are a simple yet striking single-serving appetizers, perfect for an elegant occasion, especially during the upcoming holiday season. Soft and velvety, these pumpkin flans visually resemble desserts but surprise with their bold pumpkin flavor, beautifully balanced by the savory touch of Parmesan fondue and crispy bacon.
Despite their chic appearance and velvety texture, preparing savory pumpkin flans with Parmesan fondue is surprisingly easy. Just cook the pumpkin in a pan—opt for a less watery variety like delica, mantovana, or okkaido—then blend it with a hand blender along with other ingredients. The baking of pumpkin flans occurs in a water bath in the oven, ensuring the right moisture, giving you time to whip up a quick Parmesan fondue. And here’s a bonus: these pumpkin flans are flour-free, making them perfect for gluten-free guests!
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Ingredients for 4 savory pumpkin flans
For the flan batter
To garnish
- Power 430,08 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 7,01 (g) of which sugars 4,26 (g)
- Proteins 14,54 (g)
- Fat 38,90 (g) of which saturated 8,37 (g)of which unsaturated 5,06 (g)
- Fibers 0,39 (g)
- Sodium 337,61 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 110 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
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How to make savory pumpkin flans with Parmesan fondue and crispy bacon
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To prepare savory pumpkin flans with Parmesan fondue, start by peeling the pumpkin. Remove the seeds and filaments, and dice it.
Weigh the pumpkin pulp, which should be 8,5 oz (240 g). In a non-stick pan, pour three tablespoons of oil and add a small slice of sliced onion.
Don’t overdo the onion to avoid overpowering the pumpkin flavor. Sauté it briefly over low heat, then add the pumpkin and a pinch of salt. Let it flavor for about ten seconds, then wet it all with half a glass of hot water.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook the pumpkin for 10-15 minutes over high heat until tender. Remove the lid and let the cooking liquid dry, then turn off the heat.
Let the pumpkin cool slightly, then pour it into the tall glass of the immersion blender and add the milk.
Blend carefully until you get a smooth and homogeneous mixture. Also, add the cream, a pinch of salt, nutmeg, Parmesan, and eggs. Blend again for a few seconds until you get a smooth, homogeneous, and rather liquid mixture.
Grease the single-serving molds with a little of butter and pour in the mixture, reaching the edge. Place the molds in a high-sided baking dish.
Bring plenty of water to a boil and pour it into the bottom of the baking dish, being careful not to wet the flans, filling it up to about 2/3 of the height of the molds. To avoid having to boil a lot of water, use a not too large baking dish.
Bake the pumpkin flans in the preheated oven at 320 °F (160°C) in static mode for 35-40 minutes, never opening the oven. After 35 minutes, you can quickly check if the flans are ready by skewering them with a toothpick: if the dough is still liquid, continue cooking.
When they are cooked, take the pumpkin flans out of the oven and immediately remove the molds from the water bath. Don’t unmold them immediately, or they will break; let them cool for 5-10 minutes.
While the pumpkin flans are baking, prepare the Parmesan fondue: pour the cream into a milk boiler and place it over low heat. When it is hot, add the Parmesan one tablespoon at a time, stirring well to melt it.
After incorporating all the Parmesan, you can turn off the heat even if your fondue seems a bit liquid. As it cools slightly, it will become a little thicker.
Finally, take care of the bacon: heat a non-stick pan over medium heat without any other condiments and place the bacon slices. Let them cook for about 1 and a half minutes per side until golden brown, then let them dry on a paper towel.
Now all you have to do is plate your pumpkin flans: with the help of a knife, detach the dough from the edges of the molds, then turn each mold over on a plate. Garnish with plenty of Parmesan fondue and finish with crumbled bacon.
Serve savory pumpkin flans with Parmesan fondue and crispy bacon immediately, as an appetizer that pairs well with an elegant meat-based menu.
How to store savory pumpkin flans
Cooked pumpkin flans can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days or frozen. In both cases, they will need to be reheated in the oven or microwave.
Tips and variations
If you don’t like onions or want a lighter cooking, you can steam the pumpkin.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use only milk instead of fresh double cream?
For this recipe, cream is essential, both for the flan batter, which otherwise will not have the right consistency, and for the fondue, which with milk would be too liquid.
Varied doses for servings