Pumpkin Flan with Pepita Praline

Serves 6.

For Pralines:
Butter
1⁄2 cup toasted and lightly salted pepitas
2 cups white sugar
1⁄2 cup water

1. Butter a 10-inch deep-dish glass pie plate and set it on a baking sheet. Place the pepitas on a piece of parchment paper and set that on a flat surface.
2. Over medium-high heat, stir the sugar and water together. Once the sugar is dissolved, continue cooking and stirring until the mixture has turned a deep amber color.
3. Remove the caramel from the heat. Quickly and carefully pour enough of the caramel into the greased pie plate to cover the bottom (this will serve as the base for the flan).
4. Evenly pour the remaining caramel over the toasted pepitas on the parchment paper. Store the cooled praline in parchment or waxed paper and then wrap it in plastic wrap. Keep at room temperature and in a dry area.

For the flan:
5 eggs
1⁄2 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
1⁄4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin spice
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 1⁄2 cups half and half
1 Tbsp. vanilla

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and sugar until they become light in color.
2. Stir in the flour, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and pumpkin puree.
3. Heat the half and half just until small bubbles are beginning to form, then add the vanilla.
4. Slowly whisk the liquid into the pumpkin mixture until incorporated and smooth.
5. Pour the flan mixture over the cooled caramel in the pie plate (refer to praline recipe above). Place the flan onto the baking sheet and set it in the preheated oven.
6. Carefully pour hot water into the baking sheet so that it comes halfway up the side of the pie plate.
7. Place a piece of aluminum foil over the flan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the flan is set in the middle. Remove the flan from the hot water and allow it to cool completely. Place the flan in the refrigerator to chill for several hours.
8. To serve, carefully run a knife along the edge of the flan. Place a serving plate over the top of the flan and gently invert the flan onto the serving plate. Use a mallet to break the pepita praline into pieces. Slice the flan into wedges and top each one with a little of the crushed praline.