Pumpkin Creme Caramel - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup water
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk, well shaken
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup solid-pack pumpkin
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons coconut (optional) or 2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup golden brown sugar
freshly whipped cream
freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread coconut on baking sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar over coconut and gently mix together. Bake until golden, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool leaving oven on.
In a 1-quart saucepan, heat water and 3/4 cup sugar to boiling on medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Continue to cook, without stirring, 5-10 minutes or until caramel is amber in color (this may take a little longer than 10 minutes). Pour hot caramel into a 9-in.-round, 2-in.-deep ceramic or metal pan, swirling to evenly coat bottom of pan.
In a 2-quart saucepan, heat coconut milk, heavy cream, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar just to boiling on medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.
In large bowl with wire whisk, mix pumpkin, eggs, rum (if using), vanilla extract and salt until blended.
Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into pumpkin mixture until blended. Pour pumpkin mixture through a sieve into an 8-cup glass measuring cup, then into the caramel coated pan. Place pan in a roasting pan; place on oven rack. Pour boiling water into roasting pan to come three-quarters of the way up the side of the 9-inch pan. Bake 45-55 minutes (if using a metal pan check after 35 minutes) or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge of pan comes out clean (center will still jiggle a bit).
Carefully remove pan from water. Allow creme caramel to cool 1 hour in pan on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate creme caramel overnight or up to 2 days. To un-mold, run a small spatula around side of pan; invert creme caramel onto serving plate, allowing caramel to drip down from pan (some caramel may remain in pan).
Garnish with freshly whipped cream, cooled coconut/sugar mixture and freshly grated nutmeg. Cut into 12 portions and serve.