Pumpkin Obsessed
These recipes will impress you and your family through spooky season and beyond
I’m not sure when loving pumpkin flavors became a personality trait, but I can say without a bit of irony it has something to do with influencers.
That said, it’s time to take pumpkin back from people who carry Stanley cups and do Amazon try-on hauls.
The sweet/spicy scent of pumpkin wafting through a kitchen might only be rivaled by freshly ground coffee or chocolate chip cookies straight from the oven. That jolly orange gourd is much more than a porch decoration or a latte flavoring — it’s edible autumn.
Here are two pumpkin recipes that can be used in countless ways.
Make the French toast with all of its components for brunch, or use the toast recipe for a sweet/savory Monte Cristo sandwich. The recipe’s pumpkin cream can also turn an Irish Coffee into a “Jack O’Lantern” beverage (see what I did, there?), served with a sidecar of candied pecans.
Divide the pumpkin budino into small, spooky dishes for your Halloween party, or save the recipe for Thanksgiving — it works both ways.
Pumpkin Spice French Toast
If you love pumpkin, this brunch recipe from R House gives you pumpkin on pumpkin on pumpkin: You’ll start with pumpkin French toast, then drizzle pumpkin syrup before topping with pumpkin cream (and candied pecans for some crunch). The beauty of this recipe is that any of the components can stand alone: make the pumpkin French toast only or as a base to a bread pudding, use the pumpkin cream in your lattes or hot cocoa, the syrup makes a great topping for buttermilk pancakes, and the candied pecans are a fantastic snack at your next cocktail party,
Pumpkin Cream
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 drops orange food dye
Directions
Place all ingredients in a stand mixer with the whip attachment or in a mixing bowl and use a hand mixer.
Mix until all ingredients are incorporated and mixture is light and fluffy.
Pumpkin syrup
2 cup pure maple syrup
2 cups pumpkin puree
½ tsp pumpkin spice
Directions
Put ingredients in a heavy sauce pot and bring to a light boil.
Pumpkin French toast batter
8 pieces of challah bread cut 1 ½ inches thick ( you can use French bread or any bread you like as long as you can slice it thick
1 4 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
1 cup whole milk
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
½T pumpkin spice
Directions
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and whip with a whisk till well incorporated
Coat bread on both sides with batter and place in a hot pan over medium heat
Flip when golden brown
Place cooked French toast on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper
When all the toast is cooked place it in the oven at 325 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes
Candied pecans
2 cups pecan pieces
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ tsp pumpkin spice
½ tsp vanilla extract
Directions
Roast pecan pieces for 10 minutes in a 325-degree oven
While roasting put all the other ingredients in a pan over medium heat till it starts to boil and forms a caramel
3. Fold in the cooked nuts and stir till well-coated
Place nuts on a pan lined with parchment paper
Assemble your French toast
Cut toast in quarters
Lay out on a plate
Dollop some cream on each piece, drizzle with syrup, and top with candied nuts.
Pumpkin Budino
Compere Lapin’s Nina Compton has taken this traditional creamy confection to new levels with the addition of pumpkin. Both sophisticated and comforting, it’s the perfect ending to any autumn gathering — including Thanksgiving dinner.
Note: R House’s candied pecans and pumpkin cream can be used in this recipe for further flair.
200g sugar
60g cornstarch
725g milk
128g egg yolks
700g cream
16g salt
1/4t cayenne
760g Pumpkin Puree
113g butter
Directions
Heat cream, milk, salt, sugar, and cayenne
Temper with pumpkin puree and butter, then add back to pot.
Temper with yolks and cornstarch
Cook till thickened
Strain through chinois
Cool in ice bath, stirring–don’t let sit in ice bath too long
Serve with whipped cream and toasted pecans