For many, the holidays bring an enjoyable time spent baking seasonal goodies and dishes, while making great family memories. Pumpkin is a popular holiday ingredient.
This season, try utilizing organic ingredients in holiday dishes as a way to add a better-for-you twist to your family’s favorite dishes. Here are a couple of sweet, but healthier, treats to try.
Pumpkin Slab Pie
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Servings: 36-40
Crust:
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Filling:
2 cans (15 ounces each) organic pumpkin
4 eggs
2 cups whipping cream
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
To make crust: In bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, flour and salt. Use fingers to mix ingredients until dough ball forms. Form into two flat rectangular disks about 1-inch thick and wrap with plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour. Then, on lightly floured surface, roll out each crust into 13-by-10-inch rectangle. Carefully place dough on each side of 12-by-17-inch pan and pinch together, smoothing out crust so it fits into all corners of pan. Trim edges to 1/2 inch of crust and tuck edges under. Crimp edges with fork. Heat oven to 350 F. To make filling: In large bowl, whisk to combine pumpkin, eggs, whipping cream, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, ginger and salt. Pour into crust. Bake 35-45 minutes until filling is slightly jiggly but set. Let cool 3-4 hours before serving.
Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2
1/2 cup frozen pumpkin puree made with organic pumpkin
2 frozen bananas, cut or broken into 1-inch chunks (overripe bananas work best)
1 teaspoon espresso instant coffee granules
1 tablespoon cashew butter
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Remove pumpkin puree cubes from freezer and allow to soften slightly, about 5 minutes. In food processor or high-powered blender, combine pumpkin puree, bananas, coffee granules, cashew butter, pumpkin pie spice and syrup. Pulse until mixture begins to resemble ice cream consistency, about 5 minutes.
Pumpkin Hand Pies
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6-8
1/2 cup organic pumpkin
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 pre-made pie dough crusts, rolled into 10-inch circles
For brushing pastry:
1 tablespoon whipping cream
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Icing:
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons milk
Heat oven to 375 F. Using a mixer, combine pumpkin, cream cheese, maple syrup, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla until well mixed. Set aside. Spread pie dough. Using 5-inch round cutter, make circles. Whisk together whipping cream, maple syrup and cinnamon for brushing. Taking round piece of dough, place about 3 tablespoons filling in center and fold dough over to create half-moon shape. Brush edges with whipping cream mixture. Using fork tines, seal edges of pastry. Repeat with each dough circle. Place pies on parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with whipping cream mixture. Bake 16-20 minutes until bottoms are golden brown. Let cool 30 minutes. To make icing: whisk to combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle over pies. For easier drizzling, load icing into small zip-top bag. Squeeze into corner and twist top to seal. Cut corner and drizzle over pies.
Source: Alberton’s Companies
