Pumpkin Pudding

We used jack-be-littles, but any type of small pumpkin can be used in this recipe.

Ingredients
Makes 4 cups, Serves 66 small pumpkins, (about 1/2 pound each)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree, or canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup heavy cream
Puff-Pastry Leaves
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut tops off pumpkins; scoop out and discard seeds. In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle inside pumpkins, and replace pumpkin tops. Place on a baking sheet, and bake until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool.
Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a large heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Add half-and-half, egg yolks, molasses, and salt; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture starts to thicken. Add the water in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Stir in pumpkin puree; cook until very thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool slightly.
When ready to serve, whip cream to soft peaks. Serve pudding in baked pumpkins topped with whipped cream and garnished with puff pastry leaves, if desired.

Pumpkin Puree (Martha Stewart.com)
(Makes 1 1/3 cups)
Ingredients
1 sugar pumpkin (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a sharp paring knife, cut several slits in pumpkin, piercing skin all the way through (this will let steam escape). Place in a baking dish; pour about 1 inch water in bottom of dish. Bake until skin is easily pierced and inside is very soft, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
2.Cut off top of pumpkin, and scoop out seeds; discard both. Peel, and discard skin. Place pumpkin in the bowl of a food processor; puree until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up o 2 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.