Sweets from the pumpkin patch
Sweets from the Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin Pointers
From scratch One way to make this year’s pies even more special is to start with a whole pumpkin, instead of a can. It’s important to choose small sugar-pie pumpkins; Halloween jack-o’-lanterns are too stringy to eat and are best left carved on the doorstep!
With a little help Of course, canned pumpkin is a lifesaver when time is short. Make sure to buy pumpkin purée (not canned pumpkin-pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices). And look for a brand that is 100 percent pumpkin, not a blend of pumpkin and other squash.
Squash options We also made the pie with butternut squash. It’s a bit sweeter than pumpkin, but just as delicious. Roast and purée butternut according to the pumpkin directions
in our pie recipe and try it in any of these desserts.
Traditional Pumpkin Pie
Preparation time 40 minutes
Baking Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Standing Time 2 hours
Makes 16 Servings
Pastry
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 -1/3 cup ice water
For filling
2 kg sugar-pie pumpkins or butternut squash, approximately 2
6 eggs
1 cup whipping cream (35%)
2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
Directions
1. Choose one of these methods: By hand: Stir together flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or your hands, cut in butter until coarse crumbs form. Using a fork, stir in ice water to create a soft dough that can easily be formed into a ball. Add more ice water, 1 tbsp at a time if needed. Dough should not be sticky. Divide in half. Shape each portion into a disc. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Or in a food processor: Whirl flour, sugar and salt to mix. Add butter, then pulse until crumbs form. While motor is running, pour 1/4 cup ice water through spout. Continue whirling just until dough comes together. Add remaining ice water, if needed. Dough should not be sticky. Divide in half. Shape each portion into a disc. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 400F. Cut each pumpkin into quarters. Scoop out and discard seeds. Roast pieces in a large baking dish, covered with foil, in centre of preheated oven until fork-tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, scoop flesh from skins. Whirl in a food processor until very smooth. Measure out 31/2 cups. Set any remaining purée aside for another use. Whirl purée in food processor along with eggs, cream, both sugars and spices until evenly mixed. Strain through a sieve.
4. Preheat oven to 400F. Roll out 1 disc of pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 13-in. circle. Loosely roll up around rolling pin. Unroll over a 9- or 10-in. pie plate. Press dough over bottom and sides of pie plate. Prick dough all over with a fork. Trim pastry, leaving a 1-in. overhang. Tuck pastry under and crimp together using your index finger and thumb, or press around edges using the tines of a fork. Repeat with second disc of pastry and another pie plate.
5. Line pastry in each pie plate with parchment paper. Fill each with dried beans or pie weights to hold pastry in place while it bakes. Bake in centre of oven for 10 min. Reduce oven temperature to 350F. Remove parchment and beans. Bake shells until lightly golden, about 10 min.
6. Pour pumpkin filling into hot pie shells. Bake in centre of oven until filling is slightly jiggly in the centre, about 45 to 50 min. Let cool completely, about 2 hours. Serve with whipped cream.
Kitchen Tips
Out of time? Substitute canned pumpkin purée instead of making it from scratch. Whisk 3 1/2 cups of canned pumpkin purée with filling ingredients.
Pumpkin and Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
Preparation time 30 minutes
Cooking time 40 minutes
Standing Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Makes 20 Bars
Ingredients
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp finely chopped candied ginger
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
3/4 cup pimpkin purée
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp each nutmeg and salt
250 g pkg regular cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tbsp whipping cream (35%)
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-in. square baking pan with parchment 2. In a medium bowl, stir crumbs with candied ginger and butter until evenly moist. Press over bottom of an prepared pan. Bake in centre of oven until edges are golden, about 10 min.
3. Whisk egg in the same bowl (no need to wash). Whisk in pumpkin purée, sugar and seasonings. Cut cheese into cubes. Using an electric mixer, beat cheese into pumpkin mixture, scraping down sides of bowl if needed, until well mixed.
4. Pour over warm crust. Bake in centre of oven until filling is set when pan is jiggled, about 25 min. Cool completely on a rack.
5. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium-high until hot, 2 min, or microwave uncovered on high for 1 min. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread over cooled filling. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 1 hour.
6. Use parchment paper to lift square out of pan, then slice into 20 bars. Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 1 month.
Pumpkin cupcakes with maple and bacon icing
Preparation time 40 minutes
Baking Time 25 minutes
Refrigeration Time 30 minutes
Makes 12 Cupcakes
Ingredients
For cupcakes
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp each nutmeg, ground ginger and allspice
2 eggs
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled
1 tsp vanilla
For icing
1/2 250g pkg cream chesse, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups sifted icing sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tbsp maple syrup
3 cooked bacon strips, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with oil or line with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs with brown sugar, pumpkin, butter and vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually whisk flour mixture into egg mixture until evenly mixed. Mixture will be thick. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake in centre of preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into centre of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 min.
3. Beat cream cheese with icing sugar, butter and maple syrup until evenly mixed and smooth. Stir in chopped bacon. Refrigerate icing until firm, about 30 min. Spread or pipe icing over cooled cupcakes. Garnish with more bacon.
Pumpkin-spice biscotti
Preparation time 20 minutes
Baking Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Makes 42 Biscotti
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted raw shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 tsp pumpkin-pie spice
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup coarse sugar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir flour with sugar, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin spice, baking powder and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with pumpkin purée, butter and vanilla extract. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture and stir to combine.
3. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Shape into 2 long, flat logs, about 2 in. wide and 1/2 in. thick. (Dough will rise as it bakes.) Sprinkle coarse sugar on top of logs, pressing gently so it adheres. Bake for 30 min, until centres are firm to the touch.
4. Remove from oven and let cool 5 min. Reduce oven temperature to 275F. Using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-in. pieces. Place cut-side down on the baking sheet and bake an additional 35 min. Cool completely on a rack.
Pumpkin-coconut custard with sesame brittle
Preparation time 25 minutes
Cooking time 50 minutes
Standing Time 1 hour
Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup whipping cream (35%)
3/4 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
1 tsp orange zest
For brittle
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp sesame seeds
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium saucepan, whisk coconut milk with cream, pumpkin purée and brown sugar. Set over medium-high and bring to a simmer, about 3 min, whisking occasionally.
2. Whisk eggs with yolks, vanilla, salt and cardamom in a large bowl. Slowly whisk hot milk mixture into eggs, being careful not to scramble the eggs. Stir in zest. Pour mixture through a sieve for a smoother texture.
3. Boil a kettle of water. Place 8 ramekins or ovenproof cups in a deep baking dish. Divide pumpkin mixture evenly (about 1/3 cup each) among ramekins. Place baking dish in centre of oven. Pour hot water from kettle into baking dish to halfway up the sides of ramekins.
4. Bake until a knife inserted in custard comes out clean, 35 to 40 min. Lift ramekins from water immediately, using a tea towel or canning tongs. Cool on a rack. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
5. Cut 2 large pieces of parchment paper for the brittle and spray with oil. Place 1 piece parchment, oil-side up, on a large cutting board. Set a rolling pin next to it. Stir sugar with 1/4 cup water and salt in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Set over medium. Stir until sugar dissolves, about 3 min.
6. Increase heat to high. Bring to a boil without stirring until mixture turns light amber, 5 to 6 min. Remove from heat and stir in sesame seeds. Pour onto parchment on cutting board. Immediately cover with remaining parchment, oil-side down. Using rolling pin, quickly roll out mixture as thin as you can before sugar begins to harden. Cool completely, about 5 min. Peel off parchment. Break brittle into shards. Serve with custard.
Substitution Tip
If you don’t have coconut milk, use whipping cream mixed with 1 tsp coconut extract.
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