Custard Baked in a Whole Pumpkin

While it was called a pie in the old days,
it's certainly not what we call a pie now.
This dish was a favorite of George Washington.
Here the custard pie is found inside the pumpkin.
A very special dessert presentation indeed!

Ingredients:
1 pumpkin (5-7 lbs.)
6 whole eggs
2 pint whipping cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. molasses
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
2 tbsp. butter

Directions:
Cut the lid off the pumpkin just as you would for a jack-o-lantern.
Remove the seeds and save for toasting later.
Mix the remaining ingredients together (with the exception of the butter). Fill the pumpkin with this mixture and top with the butter.
Cover with the pumpkin lid and place in a baking pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F.
For 1 1/2 hours or until the mixture has set like a custard.
Serve from the pumpkin, scraping some of the pumpkin meat
with each serving.