Tag: Pumpkin Puree

Slow Cooker Sunday: Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate

You may be wondering why I would take the time to make hot chocolate in a slow cooker when I could easily just make it on the stove. Well, I saw a video on Instagram one day for it and thought it would be a nice treat, which it was. It was also a good excuse to use some white chocolate chips I had and to use leftover pumpkin puree I had from making Pumpkin Cannoli. All pretty good excuses in my book!

In my slow cooker I added whole milk, white chocolate chips, pumpkin puree, cinnamon sticks, vanilla extract, ground ginger and freshly grated nutmeg. Trust me, it’s worth using freshly grated nutmeg as opposed to the powder form. Ground nutmeg can sometimes leave a pungent flavor, but, using freshly grated nutmeg eliminates that. After giving all of my ingredients a good stir, I set my slow cooker to low and let it cook for 2-3 hours. For the first hour, I gave the mixture a good stir every 10 minutes to make sure the chocolate was melting and to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. As an aside, is it still right to say cook when it comes to making hot chocolate? Or, maybe I should say simmer? Hmmmm???

I enjoyed it topped with whipped cream and freshly grated nutmeg and a cinnamon stick as a garnish/stirrer. I actually used one of the cinnamon sticks that I added to the slow cooker. This is the perfect autumn warm-me-up beverage. Or, thinking ahead, an ideal complement to your Thanksgiving desserts. You could easily double or triple the recipe for a large group of people.

If you’re curious about the Pumpkin Cannoli recipe check back tomorrow!

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

4 cups whole milk

1 cup white chocolate chips

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

4 cinnamon sticks, additional sticks for garnish

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for topping

Whipped cream

Directions:

Combine the milk, chocolate chips, pumpkin, cinnamon sticks, vanilla, ginger and nutmeg in a slow cooker and stir together.

Heat on low for 2-3 hours, stirring every 10 minutes for the first hour to stir in the melted chocolate. And occasionally after that.

Serve in mugs, topped with topped whipped cream and freshly grated nutmeg. Add a cinnamon stick that can be used as a stirrer in case the pumpkin settles.

Chocolate-Pumpkin Crepe Cake

I first heard of crepe cakes because of a bakery in NYC called Lady M. While I have never tried it myself, I do know a few people who have and have given it rave reviews. I came across a recipe over the summer for a Lemon Mascarpone Crepe Cake that I really wanted to try but never got around to. I feel like those flavors are summer-like so I just decided to wait to make it. And then, I received the recent issue of Food Network Magazine and among the pages was a recipe for a Chocolate Pumpkin Crepe Cake, so I decided to give it a try. I’ll admit, the idea of making crepes was a little intimidating at first, but, once I had made a few I got the hang of it.

To start, I made the pumpkin custard. Once made, I placed a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface so the custard wouldn’t form a skin and refrigerated it for 2 hours.

Next, I made the batter for the chocolate crepes. Which I let rest, covered, for about 2 hours.

To finish the pumpkin filling, I beat heavy cream until stiff peaks formed and then folded it into the pumpkin custard and refrigerated the filling until it was firm, at least an hour.

Next, I made the crepes. Below I have some included some tips on making the crepes. Here is a pic of my crepe making assembly line. Having things laid out like this really made the crepe making a breeze. Also, I used a crepe pan as opposed to a non-stick pan to make them. I think using a crepe pan makes it easier due to the low angled rim of the pan… It makes flipping the crepes lest cumbersome.

I ended up with 18 crepes, it would have been 19, but my first crepe was a fail. The same thing happens when I make pancakes.

And once the crepes had cooled and filling was ready it was time to assemble the cake. I started and ended with a crepe, spreading about 3 tablespoons of pumpkin filling between each crepe. I then refrigerated the cake overnight.

The next day I covered the cake with chocolate ganache…

And after the ganache had set I sliced into the cake. It sounds cheesy, but, I was pretty excited when I cut into the cake and I saw how nice and perfect the layers look. There’s such a satisfaction you get when you feel intimidated by making something and in the end it comes up just as you hoped.

And it didn’t hurt that it tasted pretty good as well. Chocolate and pumpkin are definitely a winning combination.

 

Chocolate Pumpkin Crepe Cake

Ingredients:

For the Crepes:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups whole milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly. Plus more for the pan.

3 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

For the Filling:

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree

1 cup cold heavy cream

 

For the Ganache:

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

 

Directions:

Make the filling: Whisk the sugar, eggs, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the milk and pumpkin puree in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking until steaming. Gradually whisk in the egg mixture (don’t add it all at once or you will end up with scrambled eggs) and bring to a boil, whisking constantly until very thick. Strain the filling through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl, push it through with a rubber spatula. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Make the crepes batter: Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla in a blender. Blend, scraping the sides occasionally until smooth. Transfer the batter to a bowl and cover, let sit for an hour.

Finish the filling: Beat the heavy cream in a large bowl with a hand-mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Working in three batches, fold the whipped cream into the filling until combined. Refrigerate at least an hour, until firm.

Makes the crepes: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet pan or a crepe pan over medium-low heat until hot; lightly brush with melted butter. Add about 3 tablespoons of batter to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook until the crepe is dry on the bottom and set on top, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip crepe and cook for 30 more seconds. Invert onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining batter to make about 20 crepes, brushing the pan with more butter and stacking the crepes as you go. (If any crepes tear, don’t worry, you can use those in the middle of the cake).

Assemble the cake: Lay a crepe on a plate or cake stand and spread with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pumpkin filling, spreading it to the edges. Repeat this with the remaining crepes and filling, ending with a crepe. Lightly cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

Make the ganache: Put the chocolate in a small bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until steaming, then pour over the chocolate. After 5 minutes, whisk until melted and smooth. If the chocolate isn’t completed melted, microwave in 15-second intervals. Let the chocolate sit for about 5 minutes, until it has thickened but still pourable. Pour the chocolate over the cake letting the excess drip down the sides then smooth the top with an offset spatula. Let the chocolate set about 15 minutes. To slice, run a sharp knife until hot water.

Recipe from Food Network

 

Crepe Making Tips:

Let the batter rest for at least an hour, if not the crepes will tear easily.

Butter the pan after every other crepe. Also, don’t put too much butter on the pan, it will take longer for your crepe to dry out.

If the crepes fold over when you flip them don’t worry. When you invert them on the baking sheet slowly unfold them so they will lay flat again

When pouring the batter, swirl the batter as your pour to ensure it covers the entire pan.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Tiramisu

I was on the fence with this dessert when I first tried it and I still am. I liked the custard part, but, I think the gingersnap cookies may have thrown off the flavor a bit, but, if you are a gingersnap cookie and pumpkin fan than this is the dessert for you. If you want more of a traditional tiramisu with a pumpkin flavor, check out the pumpkin tiramisu I posted last year.

After making the pumpkin custard I layered gingersnaps in a single layer in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. I then brushed them with apple brandy that I warmed with sugar and finally I spread a third of the custard over the cookie.

I repeated this layering two more times….

And on the final layer of custard I topped it with crushed gingersnap cookies.

I then covered the dish with wax and aluminum paper and refrigerated it overnight and before slicing it the next day I topped it with more crushed gingersnap cookies.

A few things I should mention. I slightly modified this recipe from the original by omitting gelatin in the custard and refrigerated my tiramisu as opposed to putting it in the freezer. I am sure that the gelatin would have resulted in cleaner slices, but, I just didn’t like the texture I was imagining that would result from the gelatin. And, the reason why I didn’t freeze it is that the directions said to let the tiramisu thaw for 6 hours before slicing. It just didn’t make sense to let it thaw for so long after freezing it to cut it.

 

Pumpkin Gingersnap Tiramisu

Ingredients:

6 large egg yolks

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 quart whole milk

1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pound (2 cups) mascarpone

3 tablespoons apple brandy

1 1/4 pounds gingersnaps, 1/4 pound finely crushed

 

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk the yolks, cornstarch, salt, and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar together until the sugar is moistened.

In a large saucepan, heat the milk until it just begins to steam. Whisk 1 cup of the milk into the egg mixture to temper the eggs. Pour the mixture into the milk in the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until boiling and thick, about 5 minutes. Then whisk in the pumpkin puree and cook, whisking for an additional minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and cinnamon and finally whisk in the mascarpone.

In a small microwave safe bowl, microwave the brandy and 1 tablespoon of sugar at high power for 10 seconds. Just until the sugar is dissolved.

Arrange one-third of the gingersnaps in a single layer in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Lightly brush the cookies with some of the apple brandy and then spread a third of the pumpkin custard over the cookies. Repeat this layering two more times and then top the final layer of custard with half of the crushed gingersnaps. Cover the dish with wax paper and aluminum paper and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Before slicing sprinkle with the remaining crushed gingersnaps.

Recipe modified from Food & Wine

Cheesecake Stuffed Pumpkin Bread

Another week, another pumpkin recipe. I originally saw this recipe on an Instagram video, but, it was with banana bread and I immediately thought to myself that it would taste even better with pumpkin bread. A quick search on Food Network’s website and I was able to find the pumpkin version.

To create the cheesecake swirl in the bread, I reserved 1 cup of the pumpkin batter and spread the remaining batter in the bottom of a loaf pan. I then spooned the cheesecake mixture over the batter and finally poured the reserved pumpkin batter down the center of the pan.

With the tip of paring knife I then swirled the two batters together.

After baking and cooling it was time to slice and enjoy.

And it’s no surprise that since pumpkin flavored desserts and cheesecake are two of my favorite treats this was a winner in my book!

 

Cheesecake-Stuffed Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

Cheesecake Swirl:

1 8oz. package cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

1 large egg

 

Pumpkin Bread:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 granulated sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 /3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 F and spray a 9×5 loaf pan with baking spray.

For the cheesecake swirl: Combine the cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream and egg in a large bowl until well combined. Set aside.

For the pumpkin bread: Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. In another bowl whisk together the granulated sugar and pumpkin puree, then whisk in the oil, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and egg. Then whisk in the flour mixture until just combined.

Reserve 1 cup of the pumpkin batter and spread the remaining batter in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the batter and then pour the reserved pumpkin batter in a line down the center of the pan. With the tip of a paring knife, swirl the batter together 5 to 6 times.

Bake until the top is cracked and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes then carefully invert the bread on a platter and then flip upright. Let cool completely before slicing.

Recipe from Food Network

Pumpkin Chocolate Brownies

I came across this brownie recipe in a recent issue of People magazine. At first it sounded great, but, then I started to make them and I began to question them due to the vast amount of ingredients.

In one bowl I sifted together flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. In another bowl I combined 9 eggs, 2 1/2 cups of pumpkin puree and 4 1/3 cups of sugar. And finally, in another bowl I melted 1 2/3 cups of unsalted butter. YIKES! I’ve made brownies from scratch before and usually they require about 4 eggs or so and definitely not that much sugar. Oh, and if you didn’t know 1 2/3 cups of butter is roughly 27 tablespoons! So, I had my doubts, but I plowed ahead.

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To combine these three I continued to beat the pumpkin mixture on low while slowly adding in the melted butter and then gradually added in the flour until the mixture was completely blended.

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And finally I stirred in 1 1/2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

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Next, I spread the batter into a greased 12 x 18 – inch rimmed baking sheet.

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And baked it for about 45 minutes, until cake tester came out clean from the center.

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And after letting them cool completely I went to slice them and problems quickly arose. While they did appear to be completely cooked for some reason when I went to slice them they seemed to be undercooked in the middle. Granted, if I had left them in the oven longer the edges would have really burned. So while it appeared that I would have been able to slice these into 20 healthy-sized brownies I really only ended up with 12. While they did taste good the verdict is out as to whether or not I will make them again. I actually brought them to a friend’s house and we jokingly coined them “The $50 Brownies” because of the amount of ingredients… LOL!

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Pumpkin Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

9 large eggs

2 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

4 1/3 cups sugar

1 2/3 cups unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 18 x 12 inch rimmed baking sheet.

In a medium bowl sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the eggs and the pumpkin puree on medium speed until well combined. Add the sugar and continue beating until all ingredients are well combined.

With the mixer running, slowly add the melted butter to the pumpkin mixture. Gradually add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spread the batter into the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool completely and then slice.

Recipe from Buddy Valastio People Magazine

 

Día De Los Muertos Cupcakes

Happy Halloween! This year instead of a Halloween inspired treat I opted to go with a Día De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) one instead. So, what is Día De Los Muertos you may ask? Well, it’s a three-day Mexican holiday where one remembers and celebrates friends and family members who have died. And while pumpkins and ghosts are symbolic of Halloween, sugar skulls are the symbol associated with this holiday. These are skulls that are colorfully decorated. The biggest difference I would say between the two holidays is how one celebrates death and the other fears death. With Día De Los Muertos people set-up altars to celebrate the dead, bring food and/or beverages, among other gifts, to their loved one’s grave site. While with Halloween, children wear masks and costumes as protection and jack-o-lanterns are meant to ward off evil spirits. So, whichever you choose to celebrate, or if you are among those who did not celebrate at all, I hope you have a wonderful day filled with candy! One of the reasons I decided to go with this theme was because I was giving these cupcakes as part of a birthday gift to a friend who really likes the décor of the holiday and she’s probably a bigger pumpkin spice fan than me.

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I began these cupcakes by making the sugar skull toppers. I melted Wilton White Candy Melts and poured them into skull molds and then placed them in the refrigerator so they could set.

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The following day using an array of sparkle gel…

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I decorated the skulls to mimic sugar skulls and then placed them back in the refrigerator.

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A few days later I made the cupcakes. To make the batter I began by whisking together melted butter, oil and milk. Once that was well combined I added in brown sugar and continued whisking until it was smooth. And then finally I added in vanilla extract and eggs. In another bowl I combined the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt) and then added them to the wet ingredients. Next I folded in pumpkin puree and chocolate chips.

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I then filled Día De Los Muertos themed cupcake liners about 3/4 full and baked them in a 350 F preheated oven for about 20 minutes.

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After letting them cool completely I made a cream cheese frosting to top them off.

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So the sugar skulls would pop a little I opted to stripe the inside of the decorator bag with green before adding the frosting to pipe. And there you have it… Día De Los Muertos Pumpkin Cupcakes.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1/4 cup vegetable oil

5 tablespoons milk*, room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

14 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree

3/4 cup chocolate chips

*I used 2%

Cupcake Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F and lined a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl whisk together the butter, oil and milk until smooth. Add in the brown sugar and continue mixing until smooth and finally add in the vanilla and eggs, continuing to whisk until smooth.

In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix it until smooth.

Fold in the pumpkin puree and then the chocolate chips until well combined.

Fill each cupcake liner about 3/4 full and bake for about 21-23 minutes, until a cake inserted in the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Let cupcakes cool in the tin for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

Ingredients for Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

4 cups Confectioners’ sugar

1 1/2 cups vanilla extract

Frosting Directions:

Combine the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl and mix together until smooth.

Add half of the sugar and mix until smooth, then add the vanilla extract and continue mixing. Finally add the remaining sugar and continue mixing until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes.

Recipe from The Cake Blog

Tortellini with Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce

Every now and then I do make a pumpkin dish that is not a dessert. I’ve actually made this dish quite a few times (I mentioned it in a post way back in 2013, but, never actually blogged about it) but, this was the first time I followed the recipe and used tortellini as opposed to another type of pasta – usually penne – and I must say it made a huge delicious difference! Some dishes are just better with a little extra cheese in them. One thing though, the leftovers of this dish do taste good, but, it’s much better when you eat it right after you make it because the sauce is super creamy then.

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Tortellini with Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

2 9-ounce packages cheese tortellini*

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 small shallot, finely chopped

1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin

1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

Freshly ground pepper

Kosher salt

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and then drain the pasta.

While the tortellini is cooking, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring until slightly soft. About 2 minutes, making sure not to burn the shallots.

Add the pumpkin and the nutmeg and continue cooking for about another minutes. Stir in the cream and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and let simmer while stirring until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Finally, add in the cheese and continue cooking until thick. Season with the salt and pepper.

Add the tortellini to the skillet with the pumpkin sauce and toss to coat, adding some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce**. Serve topped with parmesan cheese.

*I used a 20oz. package of Buitoni Three-Cheese Tortellini

**I used about 1/4 cup of the reserved water

Recipe from Food Network

Pumpkin Tiramisu

So, here’s one of those pumpkin recipes I wanted to try that I mentioned in my Pumpkin Bread post… A Pumpkin Tiramisu. About a month or so ago I started thinking about different Pumpkin desserts, not just the typical pie or loaf bread or a variation of them but something more outside the box. Hence the Pumpkin Tiramisu. You may not think it’s not too out of the box, but, how many times have you gone to a restaurant or bakery and they had a different type of tiramisu?

I began by making a pumpkin mousse. In a large bowl I whisked together the pumpkin puree along with brown sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon & nutmeg, salt and sugar. Once that was well combined I added in mascarpone cheese and heavy cream and beat it with my hand mixer on medium speed until soft peaks formed. I must say, this pumpkin mousse is delicious on its own. I actually had some leftover after assembling the tiramisu and it’s the perfect fall dessert with not as much guilt.

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Next, it was time to assemble. Prior to making the mousse I brewed coffee (I really didn’t brew it, I just made instant – I’m not a coffee drinker) and whisked in sugar and a few tablespoons of Kahlua. After letting it cool, I soaked ladyfinger cookies in it for a few seconds and arranged them on the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish. I then spread the mousse over the cookies and repeated these two steps one more time.

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And voila… I covered it with wax paper and aluminum foil and refrigerated it overnight.

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The following day I shaved chocolate over it and enjoyed it!

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Pumpkin Tiramisu

Ingredients:

15-ounce can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups mascarpone chees

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 cups brewed coffee, cooled

2 tablespoons Kahlua*

2 7-ounce packages (about 20) dry ladyfingers

Chocolate shavings, for garnish

*Optional

Directions:

In a large bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree with the brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar. Add the mascarpone cheese and the heavy cream. With an electric mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed until soft peaks form. Be sure not to overbeat.

In a medium bowl combine the coffee, 2 tablespoons of sugar and the Kahlua and whisk together until the sugar dissolves. Dip half the ladyfingers in the coffee mixture and arrange them on the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish. Spread a generous amount of the pumpkin mousse over the ladyfingers. Repeat these two steps cover and refrigerate overnight. You will have some mousse leftover.

Prior to serving garnish the tiramisu with the chocolate shavings.

This recipe was slightly modified from Food & Wine

1 Can of Pumpkin, 2 Recipes, 1 Day

My apologies to anyone who is not a fan of pumpkin as this is my second pumpkin post this week and third in a month! For those of you who can’t get enough of pumpkin read on and for those of who you could do without another pumpkin recipe just scroll down and look at the yummy pictures. Oh, as a warning there will be at least one more pumpkin recipe coming soon.

For most pumpkin recipes a full can of pure pumpkin is not necessary so you’re left with a cup or two remaining. What do you do? You can put it in a Tupperware and hope you remember to use it before it goes rancid. Or, the best solution obviously would be to use it up right away. Sometimes that’s easier said than done depending on what recipes you have on hand and/or what you’re in the mood for. But, if you don’t mind enjoying some pumpkin in the morning and then again at dinnertime I have just the recipes to use up that one can of pumpkin in a day! Pumpkin French Toast and Pumpkin Risotto. Both of which require a bit of time and the risotto some patience so they are best suited for those times you have extra time and patience on your hands.

I began the day by making the Pumpkin French Toast. I came across this recipe on People magazine’s website and it comes from fellow blogger Sally McKenney Quinn of Sally’s Baking Addiction. I began by whisking together milk and eggs in a bowl and then whisked in the pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Once it was well combined I transferred the mixture to a shallow bowl. After slicing day old challah bread into fairly thick slices I dipped them into the mixture, a few seconds on each side, and then cooked them on a skillet that I heated on medium heat and greased with butter. I enjoyed them topped with butter and more maple syrup and it was an absolutely delicious breakfast.

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Later in the day I used up the rest of the pumpkin by making Pumpkin Risotto. I came across this recipe on People as well, but, in their magazine as opposed to their website. I began by doing a little prep work… I measured out 1 cup of Arborio rice & pumpkin, chopped a small yellow onion, minced 1 garlic clove and chopped fresh sage.

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After bringing 5 cups of vegetable broth to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan I let it simmer while I sautéed the onions in olive oil in a large skillet. Once the onions were soft I added in the garlic and cooked it for about a minute and then added in the rice and 1 cup of the warmed broth. I reduced the heat of the skillet from medium to medium low so the mixture could simmer while I stirred it often. Once the broth had been mostly absorbed I added in another cup of broth and continued stirring until once again it was almost absorbed. I continued doing this until I finished the broth and the rice was tender. I will say that even without the pumpkin the risotto tasted delicious at this point, so if you’re not really a fan of pumpkin don’t add it and you’ll have a delicious basic risotto. Once the rice was tender I stirred in the pumpkin, salt and nutmeg. I also seasoned it with pepper and continued stirring it until it was hot and then finally topped it with the chopped sage.

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Pumpkin French Toast

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 Challah bread, sliced into 8 slices

Directions:

Heat a skillet over medium heat.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and milk. Once combined, add in the pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and pumpkin spice. Continue mixing until well combined and then transfer to a shallow dish.

Grease the skillet.

Take one slice of the challah bread and dip it into the mixture and let sit for a few seconds, flip the bread and let soak for a few more seconds. Transfer to the prepared skillet and let cook until golden brown on each side. Repeat with each slice.

Best served warm with butter, maple syrup, regular syrup, confectioners’ sugar or your favorite topping.

Recipe can be found here.

Pumpkin Risotto

Ingredients:

5 cups vegetable broth

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup Arborio rice

1 cup canned pure pumpkin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat bring the broth to a gentle boil and let simmer while preparing the recipe.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté onions for about 3 to 4 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for addition minute, until fragrant. Stir in the rice and 1 cup of the heated broth and reduce the heat so the mixture simmers. Stir often, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat with an additional cup of broth and continue stirring. Repeat this step until the rice is tender, about 20-30 minutes.

Stir in the pumpkin, salt and nutmeg. Season with the pepper and stir the risotto until hot. Top with the sage and serve.

Recipe can be found in Chloe Coscarelli’s book Chloe’s Vegan Italian Kitchen

Pumpkin Custards

It’s officially Fall and you know what that means… Bring on the Pumpkin treats! Can I just say it really is amazing (and a bit insane) how pumpkin and pumpkin spice flavor can be found in almost everything! Now, don’t get me wrong, I love pumpkin spice flavor but, I just don’t think I need to have it in everything. Have you seen these Pumpkin Spice Flavored Candy Corn? I’m totally cool with the traditional flavor of candy corn so I really don’t see the need for it being spruced or spiced up with additional flavoring. If anyone has tried them though please let me know how they taste in the comment section below… LOL! There are a few pumpkin flavored items I couldn’t resist trying though… Chobani Flip Yogurt, M&M’s and Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies. All of which were quite tasty in my book. I also purchased some Pumpkin Spice Morsels from Nestle that I can’t wait to bake into cookies. Which leads me to my first pumpkin baked treat of the season… Pumpkin Custards.

To begin to I whisked together heavy cream along with cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg in a medium saucepan and heated it over medium-low heat and warmed the mixture until it began to bubble along the edges and steam. I then removed it from the heat and let it stand for 15 minutes.

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While the cream mixture was cooling, in a large bowl I blended together egg yolks, vanilla extract, salt, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar and light brown sugar until it was smooth.

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Slowly I poured the cream mixture into the egg mixture, and stirred it until it was blended. You don’t want to put the cream into the eggs too quickly because you don’t want to end up with scrambled eggs!

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After straining the mixture through a fine mesh sieve I divided it among 4 ramekins which I placed in a baking pan and filled the pan with boiling water about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. After covering the pan with aluminum foil I baked it in a preheated 300 F oven for about a half hour – until the edges of the custards began to set.

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Once I removed them from the oven I transferred the custards to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. I had a bit of a mishap in transferring them. My wire rack somehow slipped and I ended up losing two of the custards. Thankfully the ramekins didn’t break, but, I was left with a quite a mess to clean-up since the custards hadn’t completely set and ended up splattering everywhere.

After they had cooled I covered them and placed them in the refrigerator and later that evening it was time to enjoy my first pumpkin treat – well, first pumpkin treat that I personally baked – for the season with a topping of whipped cream!

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Pumpkin Custards

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon ginger

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

5 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

6 tablespoons pumpkin puree

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 F and boil a pot of water.

Pour the cream into a small saucepan and whisk in the cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg. Heat over medium-low heat and the warm the mixture until bubbles form around the edges and steam begins to rise. Remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl blend together the egg yolks, vanilla extract, salt, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar and light brown sugar.  Slowly pour in the cream mixture, stirring until blended. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Divide the mixture among four 8 fluid-ounce ramekins and place them in a baking dish. Pour the hot water into the pan about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes, until the custards are just set around the edges.

Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack to cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.

From Williams-Sonoma

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