Pumpkin And Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Food

PUMPKIN CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Place the butter, water, and salt in a heavy saucepan, and bring to a full rolling boil. Stir in the flour and beat vigorously until the mixture forms a ball. Place the dough ball in a mixing bowl, and beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding the next egg when the last one has been fully incorporated.
• Drop dough by tablespoons onto an ungreased baking sheet, and bake until the puffs rise and are golden brown on top, with fully-cooked insides, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool before filling. Cut the cream puffs horizontally with a serrated knife.
• To make filling, place the cream in the work bowl of an electric mixer, and whip until beginning to thicken, about 1 minute. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and pumpkin pie spice until well-mixed, and continue mixing until the cream forms soft peaks, about 3 minutes.
• Use a rubber spatula or wire whisk to fold 1/3 of the pumpkin puree into the whipped cream. Gently run the spatula through the center of the bowl, then around the sides of the bowl, repeating until fully incorporated. Add the remaining pumpkin puree, folding just until incorporated.
• Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin cream filling into each puff, and dust the top of each puff with confectioners' sugar and a pinch of pumpkin pie spice for garnish. Refrigerate leftovers.

PUMPKIN AND CREAM CHEESE PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Remove the puff pastry dough from the freezer and let it thaw.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Prepare the filling by combining the softened cream cheese, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a bowl.
• Once your puff pastry dough is thawed, unfold the sheet.
• Cut both sheets into nine even squares, giving you a total of 18 squares.
• Add about a tablespoon of filling to each square.
• Beat an egg in a bowl and brush the egg wash on the outer portion of the squares.
• Fold each square to form a triangle.
• Brush the top of the triangles with egg wash and place them in a preheated oven at 350°F for 12-15 minutes until they are golden brown.
• While the pastelito (puff pastries) are in the oven, combine the sugar and water in a medium sauce pot.
• Place the pot over medium-high heat and continuously stir until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil.
• Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Once the pastelito (puff pastries) are out of the oven, brush the top of them with the sugary syrup.
• Serve and enjoy!

PUMPKIN PIE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, and coat the liners and the top of the tin with cooking spray.
• Whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, butter, eggs, milk and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture, and gently fold until just incorporated (it's OK if there are some lumps).
• Bake until the tops spring back when pressed, 24 to 28 minutes, rotating the tin halfway through. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. (The cupcakes can be made up to 2 days before and refrigerated in an airtight container.)
• For the pie crust cutouts: While the muffins are cooling, cut out 12 shapes from the pie crust, and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush each with milk, and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar. Bake until deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Let cool completely.
• For the filling/topping: Beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar together in a medium bowl until smooth. Add 1 cup of the cream, and beat until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 1 cup cream, and beat until stiff peaks form. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pastry bag.
• To fill and top the cupcakes: Use a teaspoon or a melon baller to take a small scoop out of the top center of each cupcake (save these cupcake pieces). Squeeze some of the filling/topping into each hole, and top with one of the cupcake pieces. Pipe a swirl of the filling/topping on top of each cupcake. (The cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours at this point if you prefer them chilled.) Gently push a pie crust cutout into the frosting of each cupcake, and serve.