Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie

Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie

From Bon Appétit

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup chilled non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup (or more) ice water

Filling:

• 1 cup canned pure pumpkin
• 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 8-ounce container mascarpone cheese*

Whipped Cream and Mascarpone Topping:

• 1 cup chilled whipping cream
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese*
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

For crust:
Blend flour and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1/4 cup ice water; pulse until dough begins to clump, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough on floured work surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch beyond rim. Crimp edges. Chill crust while making filling.

For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat pumpkin and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs and next 7 ingredients and beat until blended. Add mascarpone cheese and beat just until mixture is smooth. Transfer filling to prepared crust.

Bake pie until custard is set, about 55 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Tent with foil and chill.

For whipped cream and mascarpone topping:
Combine ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat to soft peaks. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Serve pie with topping.

Coca-Cola Cake

Coca-Cola Cake

From SeriousEats.com

A Southern classic, apparently.
Note: this recipe makes a 13- by 9-inch cake. Make a half batch unless you want a lot of cake.

• For the Cake
• Baking spray
• 2 cups (about 10 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup natural cocoa powder
• 1 cup Coca-Cola
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature and lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
•  
• For the Icing
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup natural cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons Coca-Cola
• 16 ounces confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)

For the Cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with baking spray. Combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, and salt in large bowl.

Bring butter, cocoa powder, and Coca-Cola to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until mixture is homogeneous, and stir into flour mixture.Stir baking soda into buttermilk until completely dissolved and add to flour mixture; whisk to combine. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk to combine. Stir in marshmallows.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer cake to cooling rack and cool 10 minutes, then make icing.

For the Icing: Bring butter, cocoa powder, and Coca-Cola to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Whisk in sugar, vanilla, salt, and (optional) pecans and pour onto cake immediately, spreading and swirling decoratively with back of a soup spoon. Serve warm, or cool to room temperature.

Apple Cider Caramels

Apple Cider Caramels
From SmittenKitchen.com

Note: doubles easily- and why not?

4 cups (945 ml) apple cider
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons salt
8 tablespoons (115 grams or 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (110 grams) packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
Vegetable oil for the knife

Boil the apple cider in a 3- to- 4- quart saucepan over high heat for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally,  until it is reduced to a dark, thick syrup, between 1/3 and 1/2 cup in volume. 

Meanwhile, spray an 8- inch straight- sided square baking pan with cooking spray and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Set aside. Stir the cinnamon and salt together in a small dish.

Once you are finished reducing the apple cider, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter, sugars, and heavy cream. Return the pot to medium- high heat with a candy [or meat!] thermometer attached to the side, and let it boil until the thermometer reads 252 degrees, about 5 minutes. (Don’t have a candy or deep- fry thermometer? Have a bowl of very cold water ready, and cook the caramel until a tiny spoonful dropped into the water becomes firm, chewy, and able to be plied into a ball.)

Immediately remove caramel from heat, add the cinnamon- salt mixture, and stir the caramel well to distribute it evenly. Pour caramel into the prepared pan. Refrigerate until cool and firm, about an hour. Once caramel is firm,  transfer the block to a cutting board. Use a well- oiled knife, oiling it after each cut, to cut the caramel into 1-by-1-inch squares. Wrap each one in a 4-inch square of waxed paper, twisting the sides to close. Caramels will be somewhat on the soft side at room temperature, and chewy/firm from the fridge.