Pumpkin Profiteroles

Whenever one of my many cooking magazine subscriptions arrives in the mail, I try to take the time to read it then, partly because the recipes are seasonal, and partly because if I don't, they pile up quickly. I often print out the recipes that interest me, as I'm never able to remember which magazine or which issue contained that recipe. 

One recipe that sparked my interest was in Bon Appetit's November 2007 issue: Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie. I doubt my family would be interested in trying it, because you don't mess with tradition. But I was hoping that someday, I'd have an opportunity to make it. 

Last fall, I finally had that opportunity. Rather than make a pie, I made the pie filling, spooned it into a pastry bag and piped it into mini profiteroles (cream puffs). I brought them to a Halloween party, where they were a HUGE hit.

Pumpkin Profiteroles
Inspired by Bon Appetit's Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie

Profiterole Recipe Here

Filling Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling)
• 1 cup light or dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat pumpkin and sugar until well-blended. Add eggs, lemon juice, spices, vanilla and salt. Beat until blended. Add mascarpone and beat until smooth.
3. Spread in an 8-inch square ceramic baking dish. Bake about 45 minutes, or until custard is set.
4. Allow to cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
5. Spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a straight or star tip, and pipe custard into profiterole shells. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. Dust with powdered sugar, or dip in chocolate ganache before arranging on a tray and serving.