Prepare the Custard

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Prepare a baking dish or six ramekins for your crème brûlée.
2. Heat the Cream and Milk: In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream and milk. Heat over medium heat until it’s warm but not boiling—about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent it from scalding.
3. Mix the Pumpkin Puree and Egg Yolks: While the cream mixture is warming, whisk together the pumpkin puree, egg yolks, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl. Mix until well combined.
4. Temper the Eggs: Slowly pour the warm cream mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. This step is essential to avoid scrambling the eggs. Pour slowly to allow the eggs to gradually warm up.
5. Strain the Custard: Once everything is combined, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps or cooked bits of egg. This step ensures a smooth custard.

Bake the Crème Brûlée

6. Fill the Ramekins: Divide the custard mixture evenly among the ramekins, filling each about 3/4 full.
7. Water Bath: Place the ramekins in a large baking dish or roasting pan. Carefully pour hot water into the pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. This water bath ensures even cooking and prevents the custard from cracking.
8. Bake: Bake the crème brûlées in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are still slightly jiggly. Check the custards after 35 minutes to avoid overcooking.
9. Cool: Let the ramekins cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for the best results.

Caramelize the Sugar Top

10. Prepare for the Caramelized Top: Just before serving, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar evenly over the top of each custard.
11. Caramelize the Sugar: Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar by moving the flame over the sugar evenly until it forms a golden brown, crispy top. If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can place the ramekins under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, but keep an eye on them to prevent burning.
12. Serve: Let the caramelized sugar cool and harden for a minute or two before serving.