Pumpkin Love: 6 Disney Inspired Fall Recipes

Pumpkin Love: 6 Disney Inspired Fall Recipes

Fall is here….time for the smell of pumpkin spice, cinnamon and apples to fill the air. One of the easiest ways to make your home smell like fall is a simmer pot. The range of scents you can get from a simmer pot recipe varies as much as the ingredients do. Whether you’re after sniffs of pumpkin, hints of cinnamon, or a few notes of lemon, there is a perfect combination of fruit and spices out there for every autumn soul. One simple recipe is to use orange & lemon slices (with peel,) fresh cranberries, a couple of cinnamon sticks & a tablespoon of cloves. Add 4 cups of water, bring to a boil & then simmer on low heat. But our focus today is on pumpkin. Naturally scent your home without spraying chemicals. All you need is a tablespoon of pumpkin spice, 1 tsp of nutmeg & 3 cinnamon sticks. Add ingredients to 2 cups of boiling and then simmer on low heat. Make sure & check the water levels every hour.

Disney Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
Makes 9-inch cheesecake

Crust

1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/3 cup butter-melted

Cheesecake Filling

3 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
15-ounce can pumpkin purée
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
5-ounce can evaporated milk
Chocolate syrup, for drizzling

For crust:

In a bowl combine the crushed graham cracker, sugar and ginger. Melt the butter and stir into mixture.
Spray bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Press crust mixture into bottom of pan using your hands.
Place pan on a large piece of foil and wrap foil tightly up sides and around pan.

For cheesecake filling:

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Beat cream cheese, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Whisk together pumpkin purée, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl until well combined. Add pumpkin mixture to cream cheese mixture, beating until well combined. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add evaporated milk, mixing well.
Slowly pour cheesecake filling onto crust mixture in prepared pan. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.
Place foil-wrapped pan inside a larger roasting pan. Place oven rack and carefully add enough hot water to reach halfway up sides of springform pan.
Bake 1 hour, or until center moves only slightly when shaken.
Turn oven off. Crack open oven door, and allow cheesecake to cool inside oven 1 hour.
Remove pan from water bath and set on a wire rack to cool completely. Cover top of pan with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Cook’s Notes: Wrapping foil around springform pan prevents water from the water bath from getting into the cheesecake. The slow cooling inside the oven prevents cheesecake top from cracking.

Disney Pumpkin Twists Recipe
Available at Troubadour Tavern and Maurice’s Treats at Disneyland park, and Cozy Cone Motel at Disney California Adventure park.
Makes 6

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 tablespoon instant pectin
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 (17.3-ounce) boxes (6 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup sanding sugar

Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and instant pectin in a medium bowl. Stir in pumpkin puree until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Place one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured, movable, flat surface, such as a lightweight cutting board. Lightly dust surface of pastry with flour and roll lightly just to smooth creases.
Spread with 1/3 cup of pumpkin mixture, stopping 1/4-inch from edges.
Roll a second sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to smooth creases; place on top of first sheet and press down gently. Repeat process two more times with remaining pastry sheets and remaining filling. Refrigerate filled pastry 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick silicone mat.
Working with one filled pastry at a time, cut into 1 1/2-inch strips.
Place strips on baking sheet spacing about 1/2-inch apart. Carefully lift strips and twist each 3 times before laying down. (Leave remaining filled pastry in refrigerator until ready to bake.)
Mix together coarse sugar and remaining 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice.
Beat egg and milk together in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush each twist with egg wash and evenly sprinkle evenly with coarse sugar mixture.
Bake 22 to 24 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process two more times, cutting and baking one remaining filled pastry at a time.

Cook’s Notes: To make pumpkin pie spice at home, combine 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon ground allspice.

Sanding sugar is larger, polished grains of sugar – about four times larger than those in granulated sugar. Because the sugar crystal grains are large and reflect light, they give off a “sparkling” effect. The large-grained sugar won’t melt and disappear as it bakes, giving a nice crunch to dessert topping.

Disney Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
Makes 12 muffins

Muffin Recipe
1 cup cake flour
1 cup bread flour (may substitute all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 5-ounce can pumpkin purée
1 cup golden raisins

Streusel
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter

For muffins:

Preheat oven to 375°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
Sift together cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a large bowl. Set aside.
Beat together sugar and eggs until pale yellow in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Blend in oil and pumpkin purée until mixture is smooth.
Blend half of flour mixture into egg mixture until just combined. Scrape sides of bowl, then stir in raisins. Add remaining flour mixture to batter, mixing just until combined.
Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan, filling about 3/4 full.

For streusel:

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mash butter with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon streusel on each muffin.
Bake 18 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 325°F and bake 5 minutes more or until golden brown.

Disney Pumpkin Beignets Recipe

Club 33, Disneyland Park

Makes 24 beignets

Pumpkin Beignets

1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105º)
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup hot water
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil, for frying

Maple Glaze

3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup powdered sugar

For pumpkin beignets:

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Combine flour, pumpkin puree, sugar, heavy cream, hot water, egg, shortening, and salt in a large bowl; stir in yeast mixture. Mix dough just until combined and smooth. Let dough rest in bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel, 30 minutes.
Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Pat to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch squares. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Fry beignets until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes, turning as soon as they brown on one side.
Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

For maple glaze:

Combine butter and maple syrup in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until butter melts. Whisk in powdered sugar until smooth.
Drizzle warm beignets with maple glaze and serve immediately.

Disney Pumpkin Mousse Trifle with Cranberries and Apricot-Orange Sauce

Serves 6 to 8

Streusel
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted

Apricot-Orange Sauce
1/2 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup orange juice

Pumpkin Mousse
1 egg yolk or 1/4 cup pasteurized egg yolks
3/4 cup canned pumpkin pie filling
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream

Store-bought spice cake mix, prepared per package directions and cooled
1/2 cup Ocean Spray Craisins

For streusel:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a sheet pan with foil; set aside.
Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add melted butter and stir until mixture is crumbly.
Pour onto prepared sheet pan; bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Set aside to cool; crumble into small pieces.

For orange sauce:
Combine apricot jam and orange juice in a medium bowl. Whisk together until smooth.

For pumpkin mousse:

Whisk egg yolk into pumpkin pie filling. Melt white chocolate chips in a microwave or using a double boiler. Whisk melted white chocolate into pumpkin mixture.
Whip heavy cream to medium peaks. Gently fold whipped cream into pumpkin mixture.

To serve:

Cut spice cake into cubes. Place a dollop of mousse at the bottom of a serving dish. Top with cranberries and a drizzle of sauce.
Place a few cubes of cake over mousse. Top with another layer of mousse, cranberries and sauce, then top with streusel.