I love how Food52 contests challenge me to think about recipes. This creme caramel is an old favorite of mine. One of the unique characteristics of the custard is that about half the caramel goes on the bottom of the molds and the other half goes in the custard . The lemon juice in the caramel is a little trick I learned from a chef--the lemon keeps the sugar from crystallizing, so you don't have to mess around with brushing the sides of the pan with water. I would never forsake pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, but if there was a pie crisis, I would grudgingly accept this as an alternative. I added some pumpkin and spice to the original recipe, and because there is no cream, it is relatively light and would therefore go down easy after a big meal. The portions are small. too, so maybe the pumpkin pie can wait until next year after all. - Sally

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