Pumpkin Mascarpone Cream Puffs

This recipe is a fun and easy take on what may be the most traditional autumn dessert of all, the pumpkin pie. These days there are a wide variety of pumpkin related desserts. Everything from traditional pumpkin pie, to pumpkin cheesecakes and pumpkin trifles, to pumpkin bread and biscotti. And of course you need a nice hot cup of pumpkin spiced coffee to accompany your dessert. This recipe brings the classic essence of pumpkin pie, but as a flavorful pumpkin spiced whipped cream tucked into a flaky puff pastry.

Before I get to sharing the ingredients, I thought I would explain the history behind this recipe. It started back in the early spring when I was having a conversation with a very good friend of mine about Saint Joseph’s Cakes. Not only are we both huge fans of this traditional early spiring dessert made of fried dough filled with custard (also known as zeppole), we are also huge fans of pumpkin anything. This led to us agreeing that there should be a pumpkin version of zeppole….and we should jokingly call it a Saint Peter Pumpkin Eater Cake.

Well….if you know me by know, you know that even the silliest food suggestion will often spark an idea for me that needs to be fulfilled. And here we now are, more than a half year later, with a recipe that I am very happy to share. Only I went with a more practical name.

You can make the puffed pastries and the whipped cream ahead of time. The puffed pastries will keep well in an air-tight container for 1-2 days. You can also freeze them for a few months. They will defrost at room temperature in about 10 short minutes. The whipped cream can also be made ahead of time and will stay well in the fridge for a few days. Just be sure to not assemble the cream puffs until you are ready to serve them. You can add the cream with a spoon, spatula or a piping bag if you have one.

Pumpkin Mascarpone Cream Puffs

Makes 1 Dozen Cream Puffs

For the pastry:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 pinch salt
1 cup all purpose flour, sifted
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the butter, water and salt into a sauce pan, bring to a rolling boil. Once the butter has melted, lower heat to medium. Stir in flour and beat vigorously until a dough ball is formed. Transfer the dough ball to a mixing bowl, let cool. Beat the eggs into the dough, one egg at a time, until all eggs have been fully incorporated.

Using a pastry bag with a star tip, pipe the dough onto a parchment covered baking sheet in a circular motion. You’re looking to make a donut shape about 6 inches wide. If you don’t have a pastry bag, you can drop the dough onto the baking sheet one tablespoon at a time (making a solid shaped pastry). You should get 12 individual donut shapes or dough balls. Bake until the dough puffs up and are golden brown on top. About 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

For the whipped cream:
2 cups (or 1 pint) heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
dash cinnamon
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 of a 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree

Combine cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a chilled mixing bowl (the bowl MUST be chilled). Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, mix together until soft peaks start to form. Continue to mix, adding the mascarpone cheese a little at a time. Adding all of the mascarpone cheese at once will cause splashing. Add the pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon and continue to mix until stiff peaks form. Fold in the pumpkin puree. You can adjust the sweetness and spice taste to your liking. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use

To assemble:
When ready to serve, slice the puffed pastries open horizontally with a serrated knife. Use a spoon, spatula or a piping bag to fill the pastries with the whipped cream. Top with powdered sugar.