Pumpkin Custard Profiteroles With Maple Caramel

By á-170456

Ingredients

• MAPLE CARAMEL:
• 1 cup maple sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter - (1 stick)
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• PUMPKIN CUSTARD:
• 3 cups whipping cream
• 2 1/4 cups canned pure pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 9 large egg yolks
• PROFITEROLES:
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter - (1 stick)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• GARNISH:
• Lightly-sweetened whipped cream
• 1 cup pecans toasted, chopped

Details

Servings 16

Preparation

Step 1

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 degrees. 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 8- by 8- by 2-inch glass baking dish; cover with foil. Place dish in 13- by 9- by 2-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 degrees. 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 degrees. 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.

This recipe yields 16 servings.

Test-Kitchen Tip: Don't have a standing mixer with a paddle attachment? Use a handheld mixer instead.