yeasted pumpkin bread.

It wasn't until college that I was introduced to the gloriousness that is monkey bread.  For those of you unfamiliar with this epic treat (I feel sorry for you), it is essentially small balls of yeasted bread dipped in cinnamon sugar and baked in a bundt pan.  What emerges from the oven is a tower of sugar and spiced deliciousness that is best eaten warm. I promise you it is impossible to eat anything less then half.  Once you consume this, you will spend the rest of your life looking for pull-apart bread recipes that involve cinnamon and sugar.  

While in California, I had a pretty super yeasted pumpkin roll from Acme Bread.  It was so good that one of the first things I did upon returning to the East Coast was Google "Yeasted Pumpkin Rolls" to see if anyone had a recipe.  The search for rolls proved less then fruitful  but I did uncover a recipe for yeasted pumpkin bread which is basically the money bread cousin I never knew existed.  I practically wept with happiness and proceeded to make it as fast as possible.

So yeah...I think the pictures speak for themselves but if you wanted some verbal feedback it would be something along the lines of "pumpkin spiced sugar awesomeness".  Layers of pumpkin bread envelope sugar and cinnamon.  It's epic, it's amazing, it's best eaten on lazy Sunday mornings though I think it would be a mighty fine addition to your Christmas brunch spread.  

Yeasted Pumpkin Bread

Recipe from Sprouted Kitchen

Note - You have 2 options with this bread.  You can use the full 1 ¼ cup of sugar (white and brown) and omit the glaze (just drizzle on a little maple syrup instead) or you can dial the sugar back to 1 cup and include the glaze.  Up to you and your preference!

If you are using your own homemade pumpkin/squash puree, just be mindful of how watery it is.  Mine was for some reason more wet than normal and I required additional flour. 

Note this is not a slicing bread, it breaks in chunks for a free form breakfast treat. 

For the Bread

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

½ cup milk

2 ½ teaspoon active dry yeast

¾ cup white sugar, divided (see note above)

½ cup dark brown, maple, or muscavado sugar

¾ cup pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon. sea salt

1 1/3 cup unbleached bread flour or all-purpose

1 cup spelt flour (can replace with all all-purpose flour)

1 tablespoon. olive oil

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook 2 tablespoons of the butter, without stirring, until brown bits form, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the milk and get the mixture to 110' (too hot and it'll kill the yeast). Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, stir in the yeast and 1/4 cup of the white sugar. Let it stand for 10 minutes.

Stir in the pumpkin puree, salt and 1 cup of the bread/all-purpose flour. When combined, add the rest of the flour in several additions, kneading between additions. Knead the dough until it is elastic and slightly sticky, 6-8 minutes.  (This can also be done in a mixer with the bread hook.) 

Brush a large bowl with olive oil, place the dough ball inside and turn it over several times until it is well greased. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1 cup (¾ if making the glaze) sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and remaining 2 tablespoons butter (chop the butter into small pieces before adding) and stir well. After the dough has doubled in size, knead it for two minutes. Roll it out into a 12x9 inch rectangle. Sprinkle the sugar mixture on top, gently pressing it into the dough. Slice the dough lengthwise into six strips, and stack them on top of the other. Cut the strips into 6 squares and stack them into a 9x5 inch loaf pan lined with parchment. Cover with a clean dishtowel and allow it to rise for 30 minutes to an hour, until it doubles in size again.

Preheat the oven to 350'. Bake the loaf on the middle rack for 30 minutes until edges are golden. Set the pan on a rack to cool.

Optional Glaze 

If omitting the glaze, just a drizzle of maple syrup is pretty perfect.  

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 ½ tablespoons real maple syrup

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1-2 tablespoons. milk

3/4 cup roasted and salted pecans, chopped

In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners sugar, syrup, butter and 1 tablespoon of the milk. Whisk in more milk for a thinner consistency if desired. Drizzle the glaze over the bread and sprinkle with pecans. Serve warm.

brûléed bourbon-maple pumpkin pie.

Come fall, I dream endlessly about pumpkin pie.  

Pumpkin pie is creamy and comforting.  It's a pie best eaten under a plaid cashmere throw while watching the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special in your flannel pajama bottoms and oversized sweater (I have a soft spot for Charlie Brown and Snoopy). Pumpkin pie is also suited for breakfast consumption; it's pudding like consistency is reminiscent of yogurt (really wonderful yogurt).  Pumpkin pie is pretty much perfect any time of day. 

I was going to save this recipe.  I made it with the intention that I would share it closer to Thanksgiving because everyone knows that pumpkin pie and Thanksgiving are like peanut butter and jelly, they simply go together.  But the chocolate crust paired with the gorgeously orange filling reminded me of Halloween in the best possible way (and also because pumpkin pie should not be regaled to simply one day a year). 

This is a dessert that allows adults to indulge on a holiday that caters to children and candy consumption (this statement does not mean I have any issues with candy consumption because I love candy consumption).  The chocolate crust brings an unexpectedly wonderful twist to the traditional dessert and the bittersweet cocoa powder pairs brilliantly with the sweet and creamy filling.  The filling itself is glorious.  Bourbon, maple, and pumpkin may be the most epic-ly perfect combination ever.  It's everything, everything I love and it's why this pie may be the best pumpkin pie ever.  

The brûléed top is just brilliant and positively beautiful which takes this pie from good to showstopper.  

Have I given you enough excuses to eat pumpkin pie on Halloween?  I hope so.  

Brûléed Bourbon-Maple Pumpkin Pie

Recipe adapted (barely) via Bon Appétit

This recipe was an utter success except for the baking of the pie dough.  I don't think I sufficiently "slumped" my dough into the pan as it cracked and then split apart during the initial baking process.  I will probably try it again in an attempt to see if the "slumping" was the issue, but my intuition says it was. Regardless of the aesthetics  it tastes damm good.   

Chocolate Pie Dough

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder

3 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 ¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening, cut into pieces (you can also use an additional 2 tablespoons of butter in place of the shortening as I did)

1 large egg yolk (keep egg white for brushing pie with later on in assembly stage)

½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Filling and Assembly

All-purpose flour (for dusting)

3 large eggs

15 ounces pumpkin puree          

¼ cup sour cream (Greek yogurt mixed with a tiny bit of buttermilk is what I used and it worked just as well, all Greek yogurt I imagine would be also be successful)

2 tablespoons bourbon

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¾ cup maple syrup, preferably grade B

½ a vanilla bean split lengthwise or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Make the chocolate pie dough: Pulse cocoa powder, granulated sugar, salt, and 1¼ cups plus 1 Tbsp. flour in a food processor to combine. Add butter and shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Transfer to a large bowl.

Whisk egg yolk, vinegar, and ¼ cup ice water in a small bowl. Drizzle half of egg mixture over flour mixture and, using a fork, mix gently just until combined. Add remaining egg mixture and mix until dough just comes together (you will have some unincorporated pieces).

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, flatten slightly, and cut into quarters. Stack pieces on top of one another, placing unincorporated dry pieces of dough between layers, and press down to combine. Repeat process twice more (all pieces of dough should be incorporated at this point). Form dough into a 1”-thick disk. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 1 hour.

DO AHEAD: Dough can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled, or freeze up to 3 months.

For the filling and assembly: Roll out disk of dough on a lightly floured surface into a 14” round. Transfer to a 9” pie dish. Lift up edge and allow dough to slump down into dish. Trim, leaving about 1” overhang. Fold overhang under and crimp edge. Chill in freezer 15 minutes.

Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350°. Line pie with parchment paper or heavy-duty foil, leaving a 1½” overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until crust is dry around the edge, about 20 minutes. Remove paper and weights and bake until surface of crust looks dry, 5–10 minutes. Brush bottom and sides of crust with egg yolk. Return to oven and bake until dry and set, about 3 minutes longer. (Brushing crust with egg and baking will prevent a soggy crust.)

Whisk pumpkin purée, sour cream, bourbon, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and 3 eggs in a large bowl; set aside.

Pour maple syrup in a small saucepan; scrape in seeds from vanilla bean (reserve pod for another use) or add vanilla extract and bring syrup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened and small puffs of steam start to release, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add cream in 3 additions, stirring with a wooden spoon after each addition until smooth. Gradually whisk hot maple cream into pumpkin mixture.

Place pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet and pour in filling. Bake pie, rotating halfway through, until set around edge but center barely jiggles, 50–60 minutes. Transfer pie dish to a wire rack and let pie cool.

Just before serving, sprinkle pie with sugar and, using a kitchen torch, brûlée until sugar is melted and dark brown. (Completely optional but it makes the cake gorgeous.)

DO AHEAD: Pie can be baked 1 day ahead (do not brûlée). Cover and chill.

spicy coconut pumpkin soup.

I should forwarn all of you, that if you aren't a fan of pumpkin, squash, and other fall namesakes like that, you may shy away from this blog in the coming weeks.  Not to say that everything will be all squash all the time (I'm not a one trick pony), but I am currently like a dog with a cone on my head and all I can see and want to use is the aforementioned squash.  I am gravitating towards it at the farmers market and then turning it into breakfast sweets, pies, and pizza. It's getting a little insane and I am totally ok with that.    
This soup was made a couple of Sundays ago when the weather was so crisp and brisk that it practically screamed soup and sweaters.  The thing I love about this particular recipe is that if you already have puree ready, the whole thing comes together in well under 30 minutes (hooray!).  It's an incredibly complex tasting soup, the combination of sweet pumpkin with creamy coconut milk and spices creates an absurdly rich and intense dish. The lime juice brings a necessary level of accidity and really ties everything together so that you are left with a bowl of the most well-rounded soup ever.  Serving it with wedges of toasty pita ensures you get every last drop in your mouth (and trust me you want to scoop up every last drop).  

Spicy Coconut Pumpkin Soup

Recipe adapted from Love and Lemons

Makes 3 Servings (Which makes it great for dinner and lunch for 1 the next day!)

1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced finely
1 tablespoon red curry paste or Sriracha (I was out of curry paste so I subbed Sriracha in and found it to work great and more convenient since most people have that in the fridge already)
1 - 2 teaspoons grated ginger

1 ¾  cups of pumpkin (or butternut squash) puree (recipe for how to make it can be found here)
½  can coconut milk, full fat
2 cups veggie or chicken broth
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste

Toasted pita and pumpkin seeds for serving (optional)

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the coconut oil.  Add the minced garlic, curry paste (or Sriracha) and ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the pumpkin/squash puree, coconut milk, broth, maple syrup, juice of half a lime, and a pinch of cayenne.  Turn the heat down to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.  Taste and add the juice of the other half a lime if you find it needs it, as well as salt, pepper, and more cayenne (I always add more cayenne since I like the extra heat with the squash/pumpkin). 

Ladle into bowls and serve with a drizzle of coconut milk and a pinch of cayenne on top along with the pumpkin seeds if you are using them as well.  

pumpkin french toast.

The boy is a french toast eating monster so when I mentioned my desire to make pumpkin french toast, his first question was "When?".

The when was a few Sunday's ago when the weather was fall perfection (sunny, cool, and crisp) and the day was lazy and lacking in defined plans which means a leisurely breakfast was in order.  This french toast is utterly fall.  Fluffy pieces of bread are dipped in a thick custard that is flavored with warm spices.   They are cooked until crisp on the outside but still gooey in the inside.  I am not your typical french toast lover (I will always take eggs over french toast) but this version may convert me.  

Pumpkin French Toast
Recipe via A Cozy Kitchen 

I served this with a sprinkle of pepitas (raw green pumpkin seeds) to provide a little crunch.  This is completely optional but it provides a nice textural contrast!  I also like to slice the bread the day before I plan on making this so the bread can dry out a little.  Helps it to hold onto all that custard goodness!

2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree, plus 2 tablespoons
3 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of cloves
Pinch of salt
1 loaf of challah, brioche, or another bread of your choice cut into 1-inch slices 

In a large shallow bowl, whisk togther the eggs, milk, pumpkin, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. 

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.  Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and transfer both to the oven.

Preheat your cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Brush the surface with butter or oil.  When melted or hot, place a slice of bread in the milk mixture, allowing it to soak for about a minute.  Flip it over and allow to soak for another 30 seconds.  Quickly transfer the slice of soaked bread to the hot skillet and cook on each side 2-3 minutes, until lightly golden brown.  Transfer the french toast slice to the oven to keep warm.  Given the skillet a wipe and repeat with butter or oil.  Repeat the dipping of bread, soaking and cooking.  Sprinkle the french toast with pepitas.  Serve warm with maple syrup.  

crème fraîche, cornmeal, and pumpkin coffee cake with pepita streusel.

This cake, oh this cake, this cake is everything.  

It's perfection, it's fall, it's all I dream about and all I want to eat.  Did I mention that it tastes exactly like fall? It does which is why I plan on making it every weekend through the end of November (no shame).    

The strussel nestles itself just barely under the top of the cake so that each bite has a little crunchy element of surprise (crunchy salty pepitas are amazing here).  The cake itself is oh so spicy and oh so moist.  The coconut oil while at first seems like a strange addition, after one bite (or one lick of the paddle from the mixing bowl and I wont tell if you do this), you suddenly realize that coconut oil and pumpkin is the single greatest combination ever especially when paired with tangy buttermilk and rich creme friache.  

This cake makes you fall hard for crisp evenings, ankle boots, and plaid.  It's love at first bite.  

Crème Fraîche, Cornmeal, and Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Pepita Streusel

Recipe via Local Milk

Yield one 9 inch cake

A couple of notes - if you can't find roasted salted pepitas, no worries.  I used raw pepitas and just doubled the salt and all was great in this world.  If you can't find creme friache, I urge you to make your own which is just about the easiest thing in the world to do. The recipe to do so can be found here. Fresh pumpkin puree should be used which if you have an oven takes actually zero effort to make.  You will be amazed at how wonderfully different fresh pumpkin puree tastes vs. the canned stuff.  Roasting your own pumpkin recipe can be found here.  

Also the pictures of this cake on Local Milk's blog makes me embarrassed to show mine because her's are that good.  I suggest you take a look at her blog since it's breathtakingly beautiful.  

For the Cake

175 g (roughly 1 1/2 cups lightly packed) cake flour

75 g (roughly half a cup) cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of ground cloves

125 g (a heaping 1/2 cup) coconut oil

240 g (roughly 1 cup packed) brown sugar

2 large eggs

125 g (1/2 cup) crème fraîche

125 g (1/2 cup) homemade or high quality pumpkin puree

60 g (1/4 cup) buttermilk

For the Streusel

60 g brown sugar

50 g all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoon butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup roasted & salted pepitas (little green pumpkin seeds!)

For the Glaze

2 tbsp buttermilk

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350°f and grease a 9" cast iron skillet or cake pan.

In a mixing bowl sift or whisk together the first 9 ingredients. Set aside. 

In a second mixing bowl mix crème fraîche, pumpkin puree, and buttermilk. Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream but coconut oil and the brown sugar until well combined.  With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each is incorporated.

In three additions add the dry and wet ingredients, starting with the dry and ending with the wet. mix to only just combine; don't over mix.

Pour batter into skillet and bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the streusel. Combine all ingredients for the streusel except the pepitas using two knives (or your fingers) to create a crumbled, sandy mixture. Mix in the pepitas.

After 20 minutes remove the cake, sprinkle the streusel on top, and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until a cake tester inserted in the center come out clean save a few crumbs.

While cake cools, make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar 1/4 cup at time into the buttermilk. You can add more sugar to make it thicker or more buttermilk to make it thinner as you please.

Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and serve with coffee or milk!

pumpkin ravioli with brown butter and sage.

Apparently, four days is my limit before I need to discuss pumpkin, squash, and all other fall foods with you.  I tried to be patient and ignore the fact that I have pumpkin ravioli sitting in my freezer just waiting for their dinner debut but I succumbed to them (let's just say it didn't require much).  I have been thinking a lot about the sauce I wanted to pair them with, and inspiration struck while up in the Catskills perusing the menu at Cucina. (Which is so good I would suggest driving up there solely to eat at the restaurant and then you can stand outside, admire how beautiful it is with its soft colors and loads of candles and exposed wood, and imagine your rustic fall wedding there.  Not that I did any of this. Oh! And if you need a place to stay while in the Catskills I recommend the Roxbury Motel because it's so quirky and amazing.)  I knew a simple butter sauce would be ideal but it only occurred to me after analyzing the menu that a brown butter sauce would be even better.  Let me tell you brown butter is better; it's nutty and fragrant, the fall version of plain butter and atop pumpkin ravioli it’s kind of perfect.   

Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage 

I made this with pumpkin ravioli but this would be just as delicious with plan ravioli or with pumpkin tortellini or sweet potato gnocchi. Really the possibilities are limitless. 

Serves 2, generously (actually in serves almost 3)

1 pound pumpkin ravioli

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 - 8 sage leaves

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper (a lot of pepper) to taste

1/3 cup parmesan/pecorino plus more for dusting

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.  Pour salt in the water when the water as come to boil and then add the pasta. Cook the pasta as per the package (generally for ravioli you cook until they begin to float).  When the pasta is cooked, set aside 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.

In a large heavy bottomed skillet, turn the heat to medium and place the butter in the pan.  When the butter is melted, add the sage leaves and cook until crispy, about 1 minute.  Remove the sage leaves from the pan and set aside on a plate.  Continue to cook the butter until it begins to smell nutty and turns brown.  Watch it carefully as it can burn quickly!  Should take about 2 to 3 minutes.  When the butter is browned, add in the balsamic vinegar and stir, then add in ¼ cup of the pasta water.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.  If you find it too thick, add more water.  (I found a little more then ¼ cup of water was ideal.)  Add pasta to the skillet and toss to coat with the sauce.  Add ½ cup cheese and toss to coat.  Place ravioli on the plate and garnish with sage leaves, a dusting of cheese and a little more black pepper. 

pumpkin bread pudding.

I spent the last hour of my life trying to figure out what to say about this bread pudding and the only thing I could think of is that it’s the most perfect bread pudding and the single best fall dessert.  It’s soft and creamy and spicy and has the perfect amount of textural contrast with the addition of diced apples and dried cranberries.  This begs to be made on a lazy Sunday afternoon with the temperatures are cool and you are craving something warm and cozy.  I love to serve it with a strong bourbon-cider cocktail but a tall glass of milk is just as good if it happens to be made on a school night.    

Be forewarned, the boy and I have been known to polish off almost the entire thing in one evening.  If you manage not to then you have far better self control then us (but I already know everyone has better self control then me).  

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Recipe adapted from Gourmet

1 ½ cups whole milk (or 1 cup skim milk ½ cup heavy cream)

1 cup canned solid packed pumpkin

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of ground cloves

6 cups day old baguette or other crusty bread

2 apples, peeled and diced into ½ inch cubes

¼ cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat over to 350 degrees with the wire rack in the middle.  While the oven is preheating, place the butter in an 8 x 8 inch square baking pan or a pie pan and then place the pan in oven for the butter to melt. 

In a bowl toss together the bread cubes, apple, and dried cranberries.  Whisk together the milk/cream, pumpkin, sugar, eggs, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.  Remove the pan from the oven when the butter is melted and drizzle the butter over the bread cubes.  Then pour the pumpkin mixture over the bread cubes making sure all the bread gets coated.  Transfer the bread/pumpkin mixture to the buttered dish and bake until custard is set, about 25 – 30 minutes.