Sweet Pumpkin Maple Custard

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Oil a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan; set aside. Place a steamer basket in a medium saucepan filled with several inches of water; cover, and bring water to a boil. Add pumpkins; steam until just tender, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from steamer; set aside to cool.

Cut off the tops of the pumpkins, and remove the seeds and stringy pulp. Transfer to baking pan, and set aside.

Place puree, 1/2 cup maple syrup, sugar, eggs, 1 cup cream, salt, and spices in a medium bowl; whisk until well combined. Pour custard into prepared pumpkins, pouring in only enough to reach lower edge of opening. Bake until custard puffs and sets and a knife inserted into pumpkin comes out clean, 40 to 90 minutes, depending on shape and thickness of pumpkin. Alternatively, pour 3/4 cup mixture into six 6-ounce ovenproof ramekins or custard cups. Set ramekins in a water bath; bake until edges are firm and center is still slightly wobbly, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Whip remaining cup cream. Cut pumpkin into wedges, and serve wedges or ramekins with whipped cream and maple syrup.