Autumn/Winter Baking Favorites; Part 1: Pumpkin Flavored Everything.

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” ― George Eliot

Autumn has always been my favorite season. The time when everything is just letting out its final burst of beauty, as if it were nature’s grand finale. The change of color, the smell of the ripe earth, the rustling sound of leaves; the whole aura that comes with autumn can simply transport you into a world of fantasy where imagination dares not put any limits.

Lately I have been sketching a lot, everything that’s coming out of my pen is a projection of my mental state. Longing to be able to feel that autumn breeze brushing against my cheek, wanting to feel that connection with nature again.

Poetic mode OFF. Now back to sweets.

I’m a big fan of seasonal baking. Using fresh ingredients that are in season instead of canned frozen ones makes a huge difference when baking. So as promised, this is the first part of my Autumn/Winter baking favorite.

You probably guessed by now what I’m talking about. PUMPKIN!

“I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.”
― Henry David Thoreau

I wasn’t really a big fan of pumpkin till recently, well by recently I meant almost a year ago. I was excited to try out the classic pumpkin pie. I went out, bought myself a cute little pumpkin and went straight to the kitchen. Everything was going great, the smell was heavenly, I was so excited! And then it was the taste test. The whole thing tasted a bit off, I thought I might have under cooked it, but I had it in the oven for almost an hour, which is more than enough!

Later on, after a lot of research, I figured out what I did wrong. I didn’t bake the pumpkin in the oven before processing it to make the pumpkin puree. (No wonder the whole thing tasted too raw).

To make your own pumpkin puree (which is ridiculously simple), follow this recipe.
Now get your pumpkin pie spice ready, (for a homemade version you can use this recipe).

So, here’s my favorite “Pumpkin flavored everything” list:

First off, let’s start with the classic pie.

Pumpkin pie with Glaze Ginger-Nut Topping