Allyson’s Chocolate Squash Baked Custard Recipe

Allyson is an exceptional gluten-free baker, so be sure to check her site out. She has several cookbooks, and her newest one will be a dessert cookbook.

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Ingredients

Filling:

• 1 acorn squash (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (I used sucanat)
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup sorghum flour (Allyson suggests buckwheat flour as a substitute)
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ground ginger, pinch allspice)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Topping:

• 1/3 cup pecans (I used walnuts – just what I had in the fridge)
• 1/2 tbsp vegan margarine (I used coconut oil)
• 1/8 cup granulated sugar (I used sucanat again. I’m sure the baking gods are mad at me, but it tasted fantastic)
• 1 tbsp sorghum flour (or buckwheat flour)
• pinch of sea salt

Directions

1. Start by baking the squash. Slice it in half (you’ll need a large knife and some arm strength for the acorn squash), pierce the flesh with a fork in several spots, rub some salt over the inside and the skin, and put the halves on a baking tray in the oven at 350 F for 50 minutes. The squash should be just softened.
2. In a food processor, pulse the topping ingredients until they form a cumbly mixture. Put them in a bowl and set aside.
3. Puree the squash in the food processor next, until it’s smooth. Then add the rest of the ingredients for the custard, and mix on pulse until they’re just combined. Don’t overmix.
4. Scoop the squash mixture into ramekins (small oven dishes), smooth the top, and then sprinkle the topping over them. Put them in the oven at 350 F for another 50 minutes. Eat them hot for a pudding-y texture, or put them in the fridge for 1-2 hours to set into a solid texture.