Pumpkin Tiramisu

I may have spoiled my son because when I was making this dessert for Thanksgiving he said to me, "Mama, you're using CANNED pumpkin?!"  It really depends on what you are trying to accomplish but in the case of pumpkin...it is one of the rare times I will say to use the pre-made puree.  My reasoning for this is simple.  You actually get a better product from the can.  The pumpkin puree is darker in color and intense in flavor.  Of course you could buy a sugar pie pumpkin and gut it, roast it, flesh it and puree it yourself.  But why would you want to go through all that trouble if it tastes the same or better pre-made?  Now we are talking about 100% pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling. These are two different products that will give you different results in your final dessert!  Try buying one that doesn't have any preservatives or added colors and artificial ingredients.

I have to say our Thanksgiving dinners are never traditional.  We always make things from scratch but we try different recipes and try following a theme.  This year we had an Asian theme.  The turkey was cooked with soy, honey, ginger and sesame.  Cranberry sauce was mixed with orange and ginger for a kick.  Orange chicken, stir fry beef, egg rolls for appetizers...I'm making myself hungry again.

So you're thinking what does tiramisu have to do with our Asian theme.  It doesn't.  It was simply a lighter end to a heavy meal.  Filled with pumpkin mousse and cut with the bitterness of coffee soaked ladyfingers.  It was perfect.




Pumpkin Tiramisu Recipe
Barely adapted from Food and Wine

One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 cups brewed coffee, cooled
Two 7-ounce packages dry ladyfingers
Mini chocolate chips, for garnish

In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree with the brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar. Add the mascarpone and 1 1/2 cups of the heavy cream. Using an electric mixer, beat the pumpkin mixture at medium speed until soft peaks form; do not overbeat.
In a medium bowl, whisk the brewed coffee with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar until it’s dissolved. Dip both sides of 6 ladyfingers in the coffee and arrange them in a single layer in a 4-quart trifle dish. Spread 1 cup of the pumpkin mousse on top. Repeat the layering 5 more times, ending with a layer of the pumpkin mousse. Cover and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1 cup of cream with the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar until soft peaks form. Dollop the whipped cream over the tiramisu, garnish with chocolate chips and serve.

Pumpkin cupcakes

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Today I went to a great gelato place in downtown Los Angeles and they had a pumpkin spiced affogato.  YUM.  I realized after making these cupcakes that I should have added a couple of teaspoons of espresso to make this a pumpkin spice latte cupcake.  Oops.  Well that is my next inspiration.

This time of year makes me so  happy.  It's not just the pumpkins.  It's the pomegranates and butternut squash and soups that excite me.  I have a pomegranate tree with fruits just almost turning a beautiful red.  So excited to pick those!  Anyhow back to the pumpkin...  It doesn't feel like autumn here in sunny SoCal so I thought I would make it fall with these beautiful leaf cupcake liners and sprinkles.


Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes Recipe

Adapted from Georgetown Cupcake

Ingredients
2‑1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1‑1/2 cups pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons mango honey
1/3 cup hot water

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two standard cupcake pans with twelve paper baking cups each, or grease pans with butter if not using baking cups.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper and set aside.

Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Stop to add the sugar; then beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition. Mix in the pumpkin puree and honey. Reduce the speed to low. Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one third of the hot water, beating until well incorporated. Add another third of the flour mixture, followed by one third of the hot water. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining hot water, and mix slowly until just combined. Take care not to overmix the batter so the cupcakes will bake up light and fluffy.

Use a standard-size ice cream scoop to fill each baking cup with batter, so the wells are two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting:
Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until well combined. Be sure to beat on high speed for at least two minutes at the end to ensure that the frosting is light and fluffy.

Pumpkin Maple Cheesecake

Pumpkin Maple Pecan Cheesecake

Instead of having pie over your holiday season try cheesecake!  It's super fluffy, velvety and luscious with that pumpkin spice flavor you just can't miss.  Not too sweet and topped with a maple glaze that will have you singing for the holidays.  Grab a slice or two and bring to share with friends and family.

Tip: this cheesecake is so fluffy that it must stay in the fridge overnight.  I only let it set for six hours and it was a little crumbly after slicing into it.  But it still tasted delicious! 

Pumpkin Maple Pecan Cheesecake Recipe

Adapted from Anne Thornton

Ingredients

Cheesecake:
10 cinnamon graham crackers, finely ground (1 1/3 cups crumbs)
1/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Maple Pecan Glaze:
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup pecan pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

For the crust: Here's a super-easy no-fuss way to make this crust. Break the graham crackers into a food processor with the sugar. Pulse until the crumbs resemble fine meal. Pour the crumbs into a 9-inch springform pan. Pour the melted butter over the mixture, bring together with your fingers and press into the bottom of the pan.

For the cheesecake: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until fluffy. Reduce the speed and, with the mixer running, add the eggs. Increase the speed to incorporate the eggs. Add in the pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk and maple syrup. Next, add in the cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Beat the mixture for awhile; this will make the cheesecake light and fluffy. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared crust. Tap the pan lightly on the work surface to remove any air pockets.

Bake until the center appears nearly set, but jiggles a little when shaken, 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool for 1 hour. Cover and chill overnight.

For the glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine the cream and maple syrup and bring to a boil. Boil until slightly thickened, 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the pecan pieces. Cover and chill. Stir together before serving.

To serve: Spoon the maple pecan glaze over the cheesecake.

Pumpkin Blondies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies

It's been too long since the last blog post however there is an excellent excuse for my absence.  I am proud to announce that I gave birth to a baby girl two months ago!  Finding time to bake with a newborn has been tough but now with a little routine I have managed to find time to do what I am so passionate about.  Carving out time just for myself is what makes me strong enough to get through my day.  I am so excited to start baking and blogging again and I hope that you find some great recipes that I have shared!

Now onto the main event!  These pumpkin chocolate chip blondies are so soft and moist.  It is more cakey than it is dense like a blondie.  The blondies definitely call for a tall glass of milk.  I made them for a local school bake sale and they were a hit!  The flavors of fall are upon us and I can't wait to share some more recipes.

The link between food and psychology:  the success of food is in its label.

How will you experience food?  Well, the wording we choose will determine it's success.  This experiment showed that people who were told they were eating a smoked salmon ice cream, disliked the taste. The others were told it was a frozen mousse and decided this was more acceptable (Yeomans et al., 2008).  Sometimes people also think food tastes better when it's more expensive or sold in fancier packaging.  So as long as we choose the right food label we can set up great expectations for taste.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe
Adapted from My Baking Addiction

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides. Grease with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree. If the mixture looks curdled, do not fret.

4. Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

5. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

P is for pumpkin

Pumpkin Cake Roulade

This easy dessert is a great way to try out baking with pumpkin if you have never tried it before.  The pumpkin flavor is just right and does not take over the dish.  Macadamia nuts add a delicious buttery crunch.

Pumpkins are rich in vitamin A and boast a unique mix of both antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. They protect the immune system as well as the cardiovascular system, including the fine blood vessels of the brain. It also plays a role in regulating the kind of cell-to-cell communication that keeps cancer in check. Pumpkins are also a great source of potassium, making them a food useful in controlling hypertension and preserving healthy brain function by yet another means.

Therapeutic topic of the week:

Dealing with excess candy.  They're everywhere, you just can't ignore it---from the pumpkin patches on the side of the road to the array of pumpkins lined outside the grocery store, pumpkins are here.  Along with pumpkins come all that candy.  As an adult, the sales urge me to buy candy when normally I wouldn't.  As a parent, when my child comes home with sixty pieces of candy I wonder how to discourage him from eating it.  I can't help but wonder, is all this candy really necessary?

According to a study in the Journal of Education and Behavior conducted at Yale, 284 children between three and 14-years old were given the option of lollipops, fruit-flavored chewy candies, fruit flavored crunchy wafers, and sweet and tart hard candies, or stretch pumpkin men, large glow-in-the-dark insects, or Halloween theme stickers and pencils. Half the children chose the toys. This shows that kids may define the notion of "treat" much more broadly than many of us do.  The key here is to have our children understand that there are rewards other than food.  We also don't want to have such strict candy rules that they hide all half the candy under their bed and binge when they're at school.  Not only are these unhealthy habits, they may grow into adulthood with issues related to food.  Understand that food can be used as comfort to sooth ourselves.  Be creative and teach our children about other treats that don't revolve around eating.

Eating candy as an adult whether you have children or not during this time can be a challenge.  Dr. Judith Beck has a few suggestions  to survive through the season.

Remember: Candy is available year-round!  Drug stores and supermarkets sell fun-sized candy bars year-round, so you don't need to load up now. You can buy candy any time.

Don't buy candy until you need it. Even if it adds a small amount of cost or an additional chore on your already busy October 31st, isn't it worth not having to worry about giving in and expending the mental energy to resist until it's time?

Buy candy that you don't like so much in bulk and just a single serving of your favorite candy. You'll obviously have the most trouble resisting your favorite candy, so buy candy in bulk that you don't enjoy as much-you'll have an easier time resisting it. You can and should buy a single-serving of the candy you like the most. This way, you'll be able to savor your favorite candy without worrying about having to stop yourself from going back for more.

Get rid of left overs! Give them away, donate them, bring them in to work, or simply throw them away. If you have the sabotaging thought, "I can't throw the candy away because it would be a waste of money," remind yourself, "Either way the money is already gone. Eating the candy won't bring it back." One way or another, if you can limit your amount of exposure to leftover candy, you'll make it so much easier on yourself. 

Pumpkin Cake Roulade Recipe 

Ingredients
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar, divided
3/4 cup flour
1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups thawed Whipped Topping

Directions
HEAT oven to 375°F.

GREASE 15x10x1-inch pan; line with waxed paper. Grease and flour waxed paper. Sprinkle clean towel with 1/4 cup powdered sugar.

MIX flour, spice, baking powder and salt. Beat eggs and sugar in large bowl with mixer on high speed until thickened. Add pumpkin; mix well. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Spread onto bottom of prepared pan; sprinkle with nuts.

BAKE 15 min. or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately invert cake onto towel; remove pan. Carefully peel off paper. Starting at one short side, roll up cake and towel together. Cool completely on wire rack.

BEAT cream cheese and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in medium bowl with mixer until well blended. Add whipped topping; mix well. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour. Unwrap and sprinkle with remaining powdered sugar just before serving.

Adapted from Kraft

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake Pops

Pumpkin chocolate chip cake pops

Deliciously sweet and soft with the tangy-ness of cream cheese.  Taste buds rejoice.

Stress relief tip of the day:

Humor. Laughter is one of the most effective therapies for stress relief and bringing down levels of anxiety. A laugh can decrease levels of stress hormones like cosrtisol and adrenal, causes endorphin levels to rise and strengthens our immune system. It increases the intake of oxygen, stimulates organs like heart and lungs, stimulates blood circulation and exercises stomach muscles.

Recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake Pops

Ingredients
Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola or corn oil
1 can of pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
8 tablespoons butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Coating:

2 cups chocolate chips or melting chocolate

Directions

Position a rack in the middle of the oven . Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and butter the paper.

Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. On low speed, mix the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended. Mix in the flour mixture to incorporate it. Mix in the chips.  

Spread dough in a 13x9 inch dish that has been pre-greased. Bake the cake until the top feels firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 15-20 minutes.  Allow to cool completely. 

Meanwhile make the cream cheese frosting.  Beat the cream cheese in an electric mixer then add butter and beat until smooth.  Sift powdered sugar, beat until it has disappeared then add vanilla.

After cake has cooled, crumble the cake into a large bowl.  Mix it thoroughly with cream cheese frosting.  Roll the mixture into little golf balls and lay on a cookie sheet. Insert a popsicle stick and lay on a piece of wax paper overnight.

Melt chocolate in the microwave stirring every thirty seconds until smooth.  Coat balls in chocolate and allow to dry.

Top with sprinkles or drizzle with melted chocolate.

Flavors of Fall

Pumpkin French Toast

Delicious fall flavors with home made brioche and pumpkin puree.  Warm pumpkin pie spices make this treat special on a lazy Sunday.

Stress tip relief tip of the day:

Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you’re close to reaching them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.

Pumpkin French Toast Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Half and Half
3 Eggs
1/2 cup home made pureed pumpkin or canned pumpkin
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
My brioche thick-sliced and day-old (punch out in rounds)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except bread
2. Soak bread the night before or six hours before eating. Dip the bread slices in the milk mixture (one at a time) and place the bread in a glass baking dish. Continue until all the bread has been dipped. Store in fridge.
3. Cook by heating 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat or use nonstick cooking spray. Place bread slices in the pan and cook until golden on 1 side, about 2-3 minutes. Turn the slices over and cook until golden brown, 2-3 minutes longer. Wipe the pan out with paper towels and repeat with the remaining butter, oil, and bread.
4. Serve warm and dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Recipe adapted from Carla Hall