Pumpkin flans with Gorgonzola fondue

Delicate, soft pumpkin flans with tasty Gorgonzola cream, easy as a starter and described for vegetarians. I cooked whole pumpkin in foil at 200°C for 1 hour, recipe on the blog; steaming or slices work too.

INGREDIENTS FOR 5/6 FLANS

400 g COOKED PUMPKIN FLESH

2 EGGS

30 g MILK

50 g GRATED PARMESAN OR GRANA PADANO

GRATED FONTINA OR CACIOTTA

SALT

PEPPER

FONDUE

30 g TYPE 00 FLOUR

30 g BUTTER

80 g GORGONZOLA

450 g MILK

I put cooked pumpkin, eggs and milk in a bowl.

I add Parmesan, salt and pepper.

I blend.

I grease aluminium moulds and coat with fine breadcrumbs.

For melting centres, I coarsely grate cheese, half-fill moulds, making 5, and add cheese in a hollow. Choose mould sizes.

I cover with remaining mixture, put moulds in a tray with water halfway up and bake at 180°C for about 35 minutes.

A skewer should come out dry.

They can be frozen. For fondue, I melt butter, add flour then boiling milk and stir well.

I add chopped Gorgonzola and mix to a semi-thick sauce, thinning with milk if needed and adjusting salt.

I plate fondue and an inverted flan. If cold, remove from aluminium and microwave for 1 minute. I add more fondue and decorate with a Parmesan and pumpkin-seed lollipop.

For lollipops, I place a couple of teaspoons of Parmesan and pumpkin seeds in circles in a non-stick pan or on a baking tray, add a wooden stick, melt until colouring, switch off and cool to harden. Search the blog for:

PARMESAN LOLLIPOPS WITH MIXED SEEDS

Flans also work in an air fryer without water underneath; I tried both.

They colour more. Reduce cooking to 180°C for 15/20 minutes and always test with a skewer.