Pumpkin Muffins

These tasted like pumpkin bread and were gone quick. I made mini ones so it was 2 or 3 bites and gone.

Recipe taken from here.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups + 3 TBSP flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 + 1/8 cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• pinch allspice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup + 2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup + 3 TBSP canola oil
• 3/4 cup + 2 TBSP pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup + 2 1/2 TBSP eggs (2)
• 1/2 cups + 1/2 TBSP golden raisins

Directions:

1) Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and salt together in a large bowl.

2) Mix the sugar and oil until combined.

3) Add the pumpkin and mix until smooth.

4) Add the eggs, in 2 additions.

5) Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 2 additions, scraping the sides.

6) Fold in the raisins.

7) Place in a container that you can cover for 8-26 hours.

8) Preheat the oven to 435F.

9) Spray the muffin pan with cooking oil.

10) Add the batter to the pan.

11) Add the muffins to the oven.

12) Lower the temperature to 325F.

13) Bake for 45 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Bruleed Bourbon-Maple Pumpkin Pie

When I first arrived back in Boston, I saw a Bon Appetit magazine in my friends apartment with this on the cover. After a year of no pumpkin in the ‘American’ way (Korea does it sweet), I knew I had to make it.

Recipe taken from here.

Ingredients:

• Crust

1. 1/4 cup plus 1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
2. 3 1/2 TBSP sugar
3. 1 tsp salt
4. 1 1/4 cup + 1 TBSP flour
5. 6 TBSP chilled unsalted butter
6. 2 TBSP chilled vegetable shortening
7. 1 large egg yolk
8. 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

• Filling

1. flour
2. 4 large eggs
3. 115 oz can of pumpkin puree
4. 1/4 cup sour cream
5. 2 TBSP bourbon
6. 1 tsp cinnamon
7. 1/2 tsp salt
8. 1/4 tsp ginger
9. 1/4 tsp nutmeg
10. 1/8 tsp allspice
11. 3/4 cup maple syrup
12. 1 tsp vanilla
13. 1 cup heavy cream
14. 2 TBSP sugar

Directions:

1) Pulse cocoa powder, sugar, salt and flour in a food processor.

2) Add butter and shortening and pulse until it has only a few pea sized pieces of butter left.

3) Whisk egg yolk, vinegar and 1/4 cup ice water in a small bowl.

4) Drizzle half of the egg mixtures over the flour and mix with a fork.

5) Add the rest of the wet to the dry and mix.

6) Turn the dough onto a floured surface and flatten.

7) Cut into quarters and stack, placing unincorporated dry pieces in dough between the layers.

8) Form dough into a 1 inch thick disk.

9) Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour.

10) Roll out the dough inot a 14 inch round.

11) Transfer to a 9 inch pie dish, leaving a 1 inch overhang and crimp.

12) Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

13) Place rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350F/175C.

14) Line pie with parchment paper and put pie weights inside.

15) Bake about 20 minutes, until the crust is dry around the edge.

16) Remove paper and weights and bake for another 5-10 minutes until it looks dry.

17) Brush with 1 beaten egg.

18) Bake for another 3 minutes until the egg is set.

19) Whisk pumpkin puree, sour cream, bourbon, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, mace and 3 eggs in a large bowl.

20) Pour maple syrup and vanilla into a small pan and bring to a boil.

21) Lower to a simmer and stir until it is thickened and steam releases, about 3 minutes.

22) Remove from the heat.

23) Add cream in 3 additions, stirring after each.

24) Add to the pumpkin mixture until smooth.

25) Pour into the pie dish.

26) Bake about 50-60 minutes, rotating halfway though.

27) Before serving, sprinkle sugar on top of the pie, and brulee until it is dark brown, with a kitchen torch. Since I knew it would not be eaten all at once, the pieces were individually bruleed.