Category Archives: Pumpkin

Brown Butter & Tonka Bean Pumpkin Madeleines 

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with Chai Caramel Dipping Sauce

Makes 24

Ingredients

Madeleines

  • 12/ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon mixed spice
  • 1 Tonka bean, grated
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

Caramel Dipping Sauce

  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon chai spice mixture

Method

Madeleines

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 12-shell madeleine pans with baking spray or cake release. (Or brush with melted butter and coat with flour, tapping out the excess flour)
  2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is a brown color, It will now start to have a “nutty” smell. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool (You’ll notice small brown/black particles. Don’t worry these are all part of brown butter!)
  3. In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, mixed spice and tonka bean. Whisk., to combine and set aside until needed
  4. In a stand mixer bowl add the eggs and sugar and with the whisk attachment mix on medium-high until the mixture is light in color, thick, and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree and mix on slow until combined
  5. After removing the bowl from the mixer, fold in the flour mixture gently by hand. Once the flour is completely added, gently pour in the cooled melted butter and fold it into the mixture until completely incorporated. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure no pockets of unmixed ingredients
  6. Pour the madeleine batter into a large piping bag (fitted with plain circular nozzle, or snip the end of the bag off)
  7. Fill the prepared trays with batter in each mould to 3/4 depth
  8. Bake the madeleines for 10-12 minutes or until puffed and golden
  9. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack

*Keep in an airtight container for up to for 2-3 days. The madeleines can also be frozen for up to 2 months and then reheated in the microwave or in a 350F oven before serving.

Caramel Dipping Sauce

  1. In a heavy-based saucepan combine the brown sugar and water. Heat until the sugar dissolves
  2. Increase the heat and allow the sugar mixture to deepen in color, approximately 240F (Soft Crack on sugar thermometer)

*exercise care in these next few steps!

  1. Remove the saucepan with the melted sugar from the heat and add in the salted butter. Whisk briskly and carefully so that it melts and becomes incorporated into the sugar mixture. It may hiss and spit so please take care!
  2. Next add the cream in a steady stream and stir to fully incorporate. Again take care at this point.
  3. Stir in the chai spice mixture
  4. Pour into the small ramekins or mini-milk bottles to serve with the pumpkin madeleines

**The final caramel sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks in your refrigerator. I find it’s best if removed from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving to allow it the return to full “saucy goodness”. If you prefer it warmed, heat in a microwavable container in 10-15 second bursts until it at desired temperature

Cinnamon Cheesecake stuffed Pumpkin Spice Loaf

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Makes 2 x 2lb loaves

Ingredients

Cheesecake Filling

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 4oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Pumpkin Loaf

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups pumpkin purée
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Method

Cheesecake Filling

  1. In a bowl beat together the filling ingredients until fully combined and smooth
  2. Transfer to a piping bag and set aside until needed

Pumpkin Loaf

  1. Preheat your oven to 325F
  2. Prepare two 2lb loaf tins with cake release or grease and line with baking parchment
  3. In a bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices
  4. In a stand mixer, combine the sugar, butter and mix for at least 10mins until light fluffy
  5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully combined
  6. Add in the pumpkin puree and mix on slow until just combined. Don’t worry if it looks like the mixture has split
  7. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add in the flour mixture 1/4 cup at a time. Keep  the mixer going until just combined – make sure there are no white flour pockets. Scrape down the sides of the bowl at regular intervals
  8. Remove the bowl and fold in the chocolate chips to incorporate
  9. Pour the mixture equally between the two prepared tins to 1/2 level
  10. Pipe, or spoon, a stripe of cheesecake mixture from the piping bag into each tin. Ensure that the cheesecake mixture doesn’t touch the sides of the loaf tin
  11. Once all the cheesecake mixture has been used, use the remaining pumpkin batter to fill up the loaf tins. Level the tops of the mixture
  12. Bake in the oven for 60-70mins until a skewer comes out with slight crumb
  13. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool in the tins until fully cooled. When cool, remove from the tins and wrap in clingfilm until needed

Smoked Pumpkin Spice Latte Donuts

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Makes 18-20

Ingredients

Donuts

  • 1 3/4 cups All-Purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree
  • 1/3 cup milk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Milk Glaze

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 5 Tablespoons milk
  • ½ teaspoon extract

Coffee Glaze

  • 2 teaspoons espresso powder
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • Brown food coloring, optional

Optional

Pumpkin Spice mix, to decorate

Method

Donuts

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray/brush donut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl until combined. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree, milk, liquid smoke, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then fold everything together gently just until combined and no white streaks of flour remain
  4. Using a piping bag, pipe the batter into the donut pans, filling about halfway
  5. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the edges and tops are lightly browned. Cool donuts in the pan for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Re-grease the pan and bake the remaining donut batter
  6. Leave to cool fully before glazing

Glazes

  1. In a small saucepan, combine the milk glaze ingredients
  2. Cook over low-medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the glaze is warm, the sugar has melted and, after a brief pause, starts to form a crust on top. Remove from heat
  3. Dip one side of each doughnut into the glaze, gently shaking it to allow any excess glaze to drip off. Be sure to stir the glaze between each doughnut to prevent a crust forming in the pan. If the glaze in the pan sets too quickly, simply heat over a gentle heat, stirring till it is smooth again
  4. Set donuts on a cooling rack for the glaze to set
  5. Once all the doughnuts are glazed, add the coffee glaze ingredients to the remaining glaze. Stir the glaze until all the espresso powder has dissolved. Add a drop of brown food coloring, if using and stir to a uniform color
  6. Pour the espresso glaze into a piping bag, and drizzle over the doughnuts (preferably with a piece of parchment paper under them)
  7. Sprinkle a pinch of pumpkin spice mix, if using, over each donut to finish and set aside to fully set

Pumpkin Spice Toffee

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A li’l bit late to the game but here we are- Pumpkin Toffee. Enough said.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
  • 1 cup salted butter, chopped
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tspn salt
  • 1 tspn light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 and 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method

  1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat- the silicone baking mat being the better of the two. Set aside until needed later
  2. In a pan lightly toast pecan pieces for 7-8 minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned. Set aside on a plate until needed
  3. In a large heavy pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the water, 1 cup sugar, salt, corn syrup and pumpkin puree. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves, then brush down the sides of the pan with a water-moistened pastry brush. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan
  4. Now get comfortable- you’re going to be stirring a LOT. Constantly but gently stir the mixture until it reaches 290°F (143°C; soft crack stage). Be watchful– the temperature slowly rises in the beginning, but then moves quickly. I usually take mine off the heat when the toffee reaches 285°F (141°C), as it will continue to cook in the few seconds after
  5. Immediately remove the pan from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 1 cup toasted pecans. Pour the toffee out onto the prepared. lined baking mat. Your mixture should be thick and not spread all the way to the edges of the pan. Cool the toffee for 5-10 minutes
  6. In a microwaveable bowl melt the chocolate chips until smooth. I melt it in the microwave in 20 second increments, stopping and stirring after each
  7. Spread the melted chocolate on top of the toffee, then sprinkle with remaining pecan pieces and sprinkle over the remaining pumpkin pie spice
  8. Refrigerate toffee for 20 minutes or until the chocolate has set. Peel off the silicone baking mat and break toffee into pieces- sized to personal preference of course!
  9. Store toffee in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool dry place for up to 2 weeks

*If you notice the butter separating at any time during the cooking process, remove the pan from heat and beat vigorously (but carefully!) to bring the mixture back together

Smoked Pumpkin Cheesecake & Bourbon Brownies

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Are we sitting comfortably? Yes? Good…because here’s another pumpkin recipe. In the spirit of the season, and let’s face it impending CV-19 induced re-lockdown, I’m going to be trying out the wide and various ways of using that seasonal wonder that is pumpkin. You lucky, lucky people! I’ll say right away that they’ll all be sweet bakes – well that’s the plan at the moment, so if you’re holding out for an orgasmic recipe for pumpkin risotto I’m afraid you’re out of luck.

If you follow my blog and recipes you’ll know that brownies are near and dear to my heart. Some people have comfort blankies ala Linus, I have brownies. So it was only right that I should try weave together in kitchen mysticism (it is Halloween season after all!) my love the fudgey (never cakey) traybakes and that bulbous orange cucurbit.

Using pumpkin in the cheesecake element of these brownies instantly renders them fudgey and decadent. I wanted to add another layer there, something to counter thought of sugar-laden PSL. So why not introduce a smokey element- camp-fires, late night and extra complex earthiness working to counter any lingering memories of saccharine heavy beverages.

And why not make them a little more grown up too? These are, after all, brownies for the aficionado. Let’s chuck in some bourbon while we’re at it! For me the flavors of the sweet whiskey go so well with chocolate that it’s too good an opportunity to miss. I’ve also used some chocolate extract here as I really wanted to elevate the chocolate intensity too – like I said these ain’t no five ‘n’ dime brownies. To really bring out the texture of these brownies I find they taste so much better when served straight form the fridge.

So yes- buckle up people…I’ve got 4 weeks of pumpkin recipes left and so far it’s brownies and nanaimo bars down. Any guesses what’s next?

Ingredients

Brownie Batter

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp chocolate extract, eg Nielsen Massey (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp Bourbon
  • 1/2 cup AP flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa, Dutched
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher salt

Cheesecake Batter

  • 8oz pack full fat cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp liquid smoke

*All ingredients to be at room temperature unless otherwise stated

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 F degrees. Spray a 9×9 inch baking pan with cooking oil then line it with parchment paper
  2. In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and beat it until smooth and creamy. Add the rest of the cheesecake batter ingredients mix until well combined and smooth. Set aside until needed later
  3. In a small bowl a bowl set over simmering water, combine the butter and chocolate chips to melt, stirring them together to combine. Once fully melted remove the bowl from the heat and set aside to cool
  4. In a large bowl if a stand mixer, combine the eggs and sugar and whisk at high speed until pale, fluffy and increased in volume
  5. While you eggs are whisking in a bowl combine the AP flour, cocoa and salt
  6. Into the melted chocolate/ butter mixture add the chocolate extract and bourbon. Stir well to combine. Add these wet ingredients into your whisked egg mixture. Gently fold in until fully combined and uniform in appearance
  7. Sift in the dry ingredients and again gently fold in until well combined and uniform in appearance
  8. Pour about 2/3 of the chocolate batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out. Spread the cheesecake batter over the brownie batter. Dollop the remaining brownie batter over cheesecake batter by spoonfuls. Swirl the batters together by running aknife or a skewer back and forth through the pan
  9. Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until center is set. Using a cake tester or skewer test the centre of the brownie pan – it should come out with few crumbs or a little mixture still on it. The brownies will continue to cook once removed from the oven
  10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on wire rack and chill before cutting and serving. I usually cut mine in to 4 x 3 giving me 12 brownies. They’re quite rich so I’ve found this to be the ideal size