Pumpkin Custard Profiteroles With Maple Caramel Recipes

Steps:

• For the caramel, combine the sugar, maple syrup and 1/3 cup water in a small deep heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, swirling the pan (don?t stir!) to dissolve the sugar. Cook at a low boil without stirring for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture turns a golden brown and registers 230 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Watch it carefully so it doesn?t burn! Off the heat, swirl in the fleur de sel and immediately pour into an 8-by-2-inch round cake pan (not a springform!). Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, canned pumpkin and mascarpone in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-low speed until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, maple extract, orange zest, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gently pour the pumpkin mixture into the pan with the caramel so they don?t combine.
• Place the pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold the cake pan flat and fill the roasting pan with enough of the hottest tap water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 70 to 75 minutes, until the custard is just set. It will be firm but still jiggle slightly in the middle; a knife inserted into the center of the flan will come out clean. Remove the flan from the water bath, place on a cooling rack and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Don?t tilt the pan or the caramel will run out!
• Run a small knife around the edge of the flan. Turn a flat serving plate with a slight lip over the cake pan and flip them, turning the flan out onto the plate. The caramel should run out over the flan. Cut into wedges and serve with the caramel spooned over each slice.

Steps:

• For maple caramel:
• Stir sugar and butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until blended and smooth. Whisk in cream. Bring to boil, stirring until caramel bits dissolve. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in bourbon and vanilla; simmer 1 minute. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• For pumpkin custard:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk cream and next 6 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Whisk sugar and egg yolks in medium bowl. Gradually stir hot pumpkin mixture into egg yolk mixture.
• Pour pumpkin custard into 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish; cover with foil. Place dish in 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Fill baking pan with enough hot water to come halfway up sides of dish. Bake until custard is set in center, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool completely. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)
• For profiteroles:
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring 1/2 cup water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt to boil in heavy large saucepan. Stir in flour; cook over medium-high heat, stirring vigorously, until dough is smooth and pulls away from sides of pan, about 1 minute. Transfer hot mixture to standing mixer. Beat dough with paddle attachment at medium speed until slightly cool, about 3 minutes. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in egg yolk until blended.
• Spoon 16 mounds of batter about the size of large eggs onto prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Beat remaining egg in small bowl to blend. Brush tops of profiteroles lightly with beaten egg. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 375°F. Continue baking until puffed and dark golden brown, about 30 minutes longer. Transfer to rack to cool completely. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container in freezer. Remove from freezer a few hours before continuing.)
• Rewarm caramel sauce. Using serrated knife, slice profiteroles horizontally in half. Spoon rounded 1/3 cup filling into bottom half of each profiterole. Cover with top halves. Drizzle with sauce. Spoon dollop of whipped cream atop profiteroles. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and serve.

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup water and butter to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low; add flour and salt. Stir until mixture is smooth and pulls away from sides of pan, forming ball, about 1 minute. Transfer to large bowl. Using handheld mixer, beat in eggs 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Cover dough loosely with plastic. Let stand until cool, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets. Spoon dough into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-inch rounds on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Using moistened fingertips, smooth rounds. Bake until golden brown and puffed, about 23 minutes. Remove puffs from oven; turn off heat. Pierce side of each puff with tip of small knife. Return puffs to oven; let stand 10 minutes with door ajar. Remove from oven and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Place 1 tablespoon water in small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over. Bring milk, cream, and vanilla bean to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, flour, and salt in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture; return to saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until filling thickens and boils, about 1 minute. Stir in gelatin mixture. Transfer filling to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of filling and chill until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Spoon pastry cream filling into pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch plain tip. Insert tip into cut on each puff and fill with cream. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
• Stir sugar and 1/3 cup water in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan. Add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Whisk in butter. Remove from heat.
• Place 4 puffs on each plate. Drizzle puffs with warm caramel sauce.