Shape the Balls Into?Pumpkins
(c) 2010 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Roll the balls between your palms to round them, then press them down slightly so that they're squat balls, similar to a pumpkin shape. Once all of the pumpkins are formed, place them on the prepared baking sheet and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour.
Use a skewer to poke a hole in the top of a pumpkin, then dip the tip of a lollipop stick in the candy coating and press it into the hole. This will help anchor the stick into the cake pop.
Start by gathering your ingredients. You'll need:
Since we're making Halloween-themed cake pops, I used a pumpkin spice cake and cream cheese frosting to reflect the season.
Start by gathering your ingredients. You'll need:
Since we're making Halloween-themed cake pops, I used a pumpkin spice cake and cream cheese frosting to reflect the season.
Brace yourselves, because I'm about to blow the lid off the whole pumpkin industry. Are you ready? You're sure? Sitting down and everyth---okay, okay. Here goes: you don't actually need to add pumpkin puree to recipes get pumpkin flavoring.Pause for dramatic effect.
Hopefully that wasn't too shocking, but you'll need that crucial piece of info if you want to make Pumpkin Chocolate Bark. You might have seen similar products on store shelves or in catalogs--some well-known gourmet food companies come out with their own versions of this bark every year, and I can't lie--it is delicious. It is also, unfortunately, the price of a small island in the Pacific Ocean (um, approximately) so I decided to save my money and create my own version instead. In order to pack this chocolate bark with pumpkiny goodness, I use a secret weapon: pumpkin candy flavoring. I found mine in a local cake and candy supply store, but it's also easy to find online, and it's really reasonably priced. It doesn't quite taste like you're taking a giant bite out of a pumpkin (thank goodness!) but it does give this swirled chocolate bark the familiar warm, homey taste of fall.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Bark
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Pumpkin Chocolate Bark Photo c2009 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Pumpkin Spice Truffles are adorable pumpkin-shaped truffles that are bursting with flavor from pumpkin puree, cream cheese, cinnamon graham crackers, and plenty of spices. The cream cheese flavor isn't overwhelming, but it does give these pumpkin truffles a bit of a pumpkin cheesecake flavor--which is a definite plus in my book! If you want to stay more traditional you can dip these in regular chocolate instead of making them look like miniature pumpkins.Get the recipe: Pumpkin Spice Truffles
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Pumpkin Spice Truffles Photo c2010 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Check out my full list of pumpkin-flavored candies here.
1. Cut the pumpkin in half, and remove the seeds and as much stringy pulp as you can.
2. Remove the pumpkin’s skin. I have found that the easiest way to do this is to cut it into quarters and use a sharp vegetable peeler. If your peeler isn’t suited to the task, you can use a knife, being sure to remove as little flesh as possible.
3. Cut the pumpkin into 1-inch chunks, and place the chunks in a medium saucepan.
4. Pour water over the pumpkin until all pieces are covered. Cover, and bring to a boil for 15 minutes.
5. After 15 minutes, stir in the brown sugar, and add the cinnamon sticks, chopped ginger, and spices.
6. Cover again and boil for another 15 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat and let the pumpkin sit in the spiced syrup overnight. This step can be shortened or omitted, but it helps the pumpkin to retain as much flavor as possible.
8. After its overnight soak, remove the pumpkin from the liquid and place it on a drying rack set over waxed paper. Move the pieces so that none of them are touching.
9. Allow the pumpkin to dry for at least 12 hours—again, overnight is preferable. If you are in a hurry, you can turn your oven to its lowest setting and place the pumpkin in the oven with the door ajar for 3-4 hours.
10. After the pumpkin has dried, mix together the ground cinnamon and granulated sugar and roll each piece in the mixture.
This is the time of year when I begin trying to shove pumpkin puree into EVERYTHING. I can't help it--I flip the calendar page to October, and like a mindless zombie, out come the giant cans of pumpkin. (Hey, at least it's pumpkin instead of brains!) In some cases, my pumpkin obsession results in success--"pumpkin pie" oatmeal, for instance, is delicious. Unfortunately, I am not always so lucky, and I can tell you from sad experience that pumpkin and tropical smoothies emphatically do not mix.Other foods work with pumpkin on a hit-or-miss basis. These Pumpkin Marshmallows, for instance, walk a fine line between success and failure--not because the flavor of pumpkin doesn't belong in a marshmallow (oh, it does!) but because the moisture of pumpkin puree can wreak havoc on the marshmallow's texture. So here's my pro tip for making these marshmallows: give your puree a good long look before you use it. Different brands have different textures--heck, even different batches of the same brand turn out differently. So if your puree is particularly easy to pour or looks very liquidy, you either want to strain it so that you are using more of the solids, or simmer it on the stove for a bit to evaporate some of the water content. Yes, it's an extra step, but it's worth it to get pumpkin puree that won't mush-ify your marshmallows.
And if your puree is practically perfect right out of the can? All the better! Get thee to the kitchen and make a batch of these pumpkin marshmallows, then enjoy them in spiced hot chocolate, flavored coffee drinks, or a delightful fall-themed s'mores night.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Marshmallows
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Pumpkin Marshmallows Photo c2008 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
(c) 2010 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Check out my full list of pumpkin-flavored candies here.
1. Prepare a 9x13” baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray or lining it with foil.
2. Combine sugar, butter, evaporated milk, pumpkin, and spices in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches soft-ball stage, 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.
3. Take the pan off the burner and stir in the white chocolate until it melts.
4. Scoop the marshmallow cream and stir it into the candy until smooth. Add the chopped nuts last and stir until well combined.
5. Spoon the candy into the baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
6. Allow to cool and harden at room temperature until firm, preferably overnight.
To Serve: Cut into 1x1 squares.
The combination of pumpkin and chocolate seems natural to me. I grew up eating my mom's pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, which are moist and cakey and full of pockets of melted chocolate and mnyhynahnph...sorry, just drooled on the keyboard a little bit there. Anyhow, those cookies are fabulous, and they taught me early on that pumpkin and chocolate are two great tastes that taste great together. I know there are people who might disagree, but, you know, even Michaelangelo had his detractors. (Just saying.) So when I was brainstorming pumpkin candy ideas, of course I knew I had to combine pumpkin and chocolate in some way.Enter Pumpkin Chocolate Truffles. If the uncreative name doesn't already give it away, these are your standard chocolate truffles with a not-so-standard ingredient: pumpkin puree. Because I use semi-sweet chocolate in the truffles, the pumpkin flavor isn't too strong. It's more of a background note, a little something to make you smack your lips and think, "What is that?!" If you're not sure about this whole idea of combining pumpkin and chocolate, this might be a good introductory recipe. A gateway recipe, if you will. And once you fall in love with them, it will be pumpkin-chocolate EVERYTHING. You're welcome.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Truffles
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Pumpkin Chocolate Truffles Photo c2011 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Since it's officially pumpkin season, here are two of my favorite pumpkin fudge recipes. First up is the classic: Pumpkin Praline Fudge. I added the "praline" to reference the brown sugar and pecan flavors in the fudge, but in all honesty it mostly tastes like straight-up pumpkin pie. You can add more spices if you want, or try using candied nuts, or bits of chopped ginger, instead of regular nuts. I've also made a video showing how to make this pumpkin fudge, for those who like a little drool-o-vision before cooking.
Get the recipes: Pumpkin Praline Fudge
Pumpkin Praline Fudge Video
Pumpkin Butterscotch Fudge
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Pumpkin Fudge Photos c2010 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
1. Begin to mix the cake and frosting together with your hands working until the mixture is evenly moistened. You want the cake mixture to easily hold together, but still retain a little texture. My personal preference is to have some “crumb” left to the crumb, so that it is not just a gooey ball. Of course, tastes vary, so if it seems as if the cake mixture is too dry, or you like a gooier taste, add more frosting until you're happy with the taste and texture.
2.Make sure that when you're finished mixing, the cake holds together well when you squeeze it into a ball.
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