Pumpkin Napoleons With Sugared Pecans And Caramel Sauce Food

PUMPKIN NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, flour and salt; stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. , Remove from the heat. Stir in the pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Transfer to a bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard. Refrigerate until cool, 2 hours., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry into a 12-in. x 10-in. rectangle. With a sharp knife, cut into 15 rectangles, 4 in. x 2 in. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. , To assemble, split pastries in half horizontally. Place 10 bottom layers on a work surface; spread each with a scant 2 tablespoons pumpkin custard. Top with 10 pastries, remaining custard and remaining pastries. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.

CARAMEL PECAN NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 lengthwise strips along fold marks. Cut each strip crosswise into 3 squares; place on baking sheet.
• Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Split each pastry square horizontally into 2 layers, making a total of 18 squares. Set aside the 9 top layers. Spoon 3 Tbsp. of the whipped topping onto each bottom layer. Drizzle evenly with caramel topping; sprinkle with pecans. Cover with pastry tops; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store leftover desserts in refrigerator.

CARAMEL PECAN PUMPKIN CAKE

Steps:

• In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, whisk together the next 5 ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with pumpkin, beating well after each addition., Line a 5-qt. round slow cooker with heavy duty foil extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Spread batter evenly into slow cooker. Cook, covered, on high, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 2 hours. To avoid scorching, rotate the slow-cooker insert one-half turn midway through cooking, lifting carefully with oven mitts. Turn off slow cooker; let stand, uncovered, 10 minutes. Using foil, carefully lift cake out of slow cooker and invert onto a serving plate., Drizzle caramel syrup over cake; top with pecans. Serve warm.

PUMPKIN AND PECAN SEMIFREDDO WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• For semifreddo:
• Line 9 1/4x5 1/4x3-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap. Blend gingersnap crumbs and brown sugar in processor until combined. With machine running, slowly add butter; process until moist crumbs form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of prepared loaf pan. Chill 10 minutes.
• Whisk pumpkin, honey, and spices in large bowl to blend. Set aside.
• Stir 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil syrup without stirring until candy thermometer registers 248°F, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in hot sugar syrup; beat until mixture is cool, about 7 minutes.
• Fold 1/3 of egg white mixture into pumpkin-spice mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining egg white mixture. Fold in pecans and toffee bits. Spoon mixture into prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until frozen, about 8 hours. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen.)
• For caramel sauce:
• Stir sugar, 1/4 cup water, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in 1/2 cup cream, butter, and then crème fraîche (mixture will bubble). Stir in vanilla and salt. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Stir over medium heat to rewarm before serving.)
• Wipe sides of loaf pan with hot wet cloth. Invert semifreddo onto platter; remove plastic. Cut into 1-inch-thick slices and serve with warm caramel sauce and whipped cream.

PUMPKIN NAPOLEONS WITH SUGARED PECANS AND CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the pecans, preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Mix the sugar and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg white and water together until frothy. Toss the pecans in the egg-white mixture to coat well. Drain, then toss in the sugar mixture. Grease a baking sheet and spread the pecans on it. Bake until dry, about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Set aside.
• To make the pastry, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Pulse the pecans and sugar together in a food processor until ground. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough out on a work surface, keeping the rest covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. Brush with butter and sprinkle with about 3 tablespoons of the ground pecan mixture. Top with another sheet of phyllo, brush with butter and sprinkle with pecans. Top with a third sheet of phyllo and brush with butter.
• Trim the phyllo layers to make a 16-by-12-inch rectangle. Cut into 16 4-by-3-inch rectangles. Divide between the baking sheets and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining phyllo, butter and pecan mixture. Set the pastries aside; you'll have extra.
• To make the sauce, place the sugar in a medium saucepan and stir in the water. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan. Place over medium heat and cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep caramel color. Remove from heat and carefully add the cream. Return the pan to the heat and stir until all the caramel is dissolved. Set aside.
• To make the filling, combine the pumpkin, butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract and cream in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until smooth and hot.
• The napoleons can be prepared ahead up to this point. Reheat the caramel sauce and the pumpkin filling. To assemble, spread the mascarpone over 8 of the pastries, using about 2 tablespoons for each. Top with another pastry and spread with about 1/4 cup of the pumpkin mixture. Top with another pastry.
• Coat 8 plates with caramel sauce. Top with the napoleons and scatter the sugared pecans around them. Serve immediately.

PUMPKIN NAPOLEONS WITH SUGAR SUBSTITUTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Beat first 4 ingredients in large bowl with whisk 2 min. (Mixture will be thick.) Stir in COOL WHIP. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Meanwhile, place wonton wrappers on parchment-covered baking sheets; brush with margarine. Combine cinnamon and sugar substitute; sprinkle over wontons. Bake 6 to 8 min. or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Top each of 12 wontons with about 2 Tbsp. pumpkin mixture. Repeat layers twice. Drizzle with syrup just before serving; sprinkle with nuts.