Pumpkin Pot De Creme

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Combine the whipping cream, 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin puree, and the vanilla bean pod and seeds in a saucepan over medium-low heat; bring to a simmer; stir in the rum. Remove from the heat cover and stand 15 minutes.

Beat together the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the cream mixture. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the cream mixture to make a custard; stir; simmer 3 to 5 minutes.

Arrange 6 ramekins in a shallow baking dish. Pour the custard evenly into the ramekins. Pour boiling water into the baking dish to half-way up the sides of the ramekins. Loosely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.

Bake in the preheated oven until the custard is nearly set with a dime-sized circle of jiggly liquid remaining in the center of each ramekin, 25 to 40 minutes. Allow to sit, loosely covered with aluminum foil, another 30 minutes.

Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap; chill in refrigerator overnight. Top each custard with pecans and maple syrup to serve.