Pumpkin Custard (Heather's Favorite)

Pumpkin Pie is Heather's all time favorite...except she doesn't like the crust...so I came up with this one for her. Serve warm in custard cups with whipped cream...recipe follows. You can make this in a muffin tin if you don't have custard cups, but it doesn't serve up as nicely...the custard breaks when removed from the tin. I buy my custard cups at Pier One Imports. They're open stock, and cost $1 a piece.

Pumpkin Custard
1 (15oz) can pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (1/4 tsp if fresh grated)
1 1/4 cup half & half, OR whole milk, OR evaporated milk
boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slightly beat eggs., Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour into ungreased custard cups. Do not fill cups to the top...leave about 1/4" of space. Place in a baking pan with 1" of space surrounding each one. Place pan in the center rack of the oven, and pour boiling water into baking pan. Enough to come about 1/2 of the way up the sides of the custard cups. Bake 45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
serves 8

Whipped Cream
1 cup chilled whipping cream
3 Tbsp sugar, or powdered sugar

Chill the bowl and beaters. (Use a large bowl....the volume of the cream will double.) Beat until soft peaks form on the beaters...(the cream doesn't roll off, but stands up slightly on the beaters.) Do NOT over beat, or you will have sweet butter!
Makes 2 1/3 cups
FREEZE:
To freeze whipped cream...Place small mounds on a cookie sheet and place in freezer. When thoroughly frozen, move to a ziptop freezer bag. Mark the item and date. Use within a month or two. Good to make ahead for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.