As pumpkin season flourishes, it’s time to experiment with some novel recipes. Impress your dinner guests with a restaurant-level crème brûlée or start your meal with a savory pumpkin soup alongside buttery bread. If simple sweetness is your goal, try these Pumpkin Spice Surprise Cupcakes.
Pumpkin Spice Surprise Cupcakes
Yield: 24 cupcakes
For the mini pumpkin pies:
1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin (make filling following directions on the can)
1 package refrigerated pie crusts (2 rolled-out crusts per package)
For the cupcakes:
1 box spice cake mix (make batter as directed on the box)
For the frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Procedure:
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare the pumpkin pie filling and set aside.
2. Unroll 1 premade, uncooked pie crust on a lightly floured, smooth surface. Using a round cookie cutter (or the rim of a small cup or jar), cut 2 1/2-inch circles out of the pie dough and place 1 in each well of a 24-cup mini muffin tin. Lightly press the dough down to form a hollow and fill three-quarters full with the prepared pumpkin pie filling.
3. Bake the mini-pies for about 7 minutes at 425 degrees, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes – the crusts should be brown and the filling should appear firm and set. Cool pies on a wire rack.
4. Prepare the spice cake batter. Place paper liners in the wells of a standard cupcake tin and put a heaping tablespoon of batter into each cup.
5. Place a cooled pumpkin pie into the center of each well of batter and press gently into place. Bury the pies with more cake batter, filling each cup three-quarters full.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges of the cakes are a golden brown. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack.
7. If time is a constraint, use canned cream cheese frosting to spread or pipe on top of each cupcake.
8. To make a homemade cinnamon-maple cream cheese frosting instead of using canned, use a stand mixer or hand mixer to cream together the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add powdered sugar until frosting appears fluffy; then add cinnamon and maple syrup until well incorporated. Taste the frosting and add more cinnamon or maple syrup as you like. Use a piping bag and large star tip to swirl frosting onto each cupcake.
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée
Yield: 4 servings
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 egg yolks
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
Procedure:
1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a small saucepan, warm cream and vanilla over medium-low heat until steam begins to rise from the surface and bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, salt, pumpkin purée, cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth and blended. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar and whisk until well incorporated. Slowly pour in the cream mixture, stirring until blended.
3. Divide the mixture among four 8-ounce ramekins and place in a large baking dish. Add boiling water to fill the dish, stopping when the water reaches halfway up the ramekins.
4. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the custards are just set around the edges, about 30 minutes.
5. Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature; then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
6. Just before serving, coat the surface of each custard evenly with a thin layer of granulated sugar – tilt the ramekins back and forth to make sure the sugar is even.
7. Using a kitchen torch, move the flame slowly over the surface until the sugar melts and turns a golden brown – the darker the sugar, the more bitter the taste. If you do not have a kitchen torch, you can broil the custards on the top rack in the oven for 5-10 minutes, watching carefully and rotating as needed so they do not burn.
8. Serve immediately after caramelizing.
Zesty Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Yield: 6-8 servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion
2 celery sticks
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons thyme (ground or chopped fresh)
1 bay leaf
6 cups chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can pumpkin purée
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Minced zest of 1 lime
Favorite hot sauce, to taste
Procedure:
1. Place a medium soup pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add oil and butter and heat until butter is melted.
2. In a food processor, chop yellow onion and celery; add salt and pepper to taste, then dump mixture into the pot.
3. Cook on the stove for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add flour, thyme and bay leaf and cook for 1-2 minutes, until everything is combined. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Drop in spoonfuls of pumpkin, and whisk until well incorporated. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, then add cream and nutmeg. Keep warm on low heat until ready to serve.
4. Finish with chopped green onions, lime zest and a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.
