Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts with Maple Glaze

makes 9 tarts

crust recipe from King Arthur Flour

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For the Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

1 large egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 large egg (for brushing the dough)

For the Filling:

3/4 cup pureed pumpkin

1 large egg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Maple Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons milk

To prepare the Crust:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt.  Add the cold butter and break it up in the flour mixture using your fingers, a pastry cutter or a food processor.  There may seem like there’s a ton of butter in your flour.  There is.   Work it in until only pea sized lumps remain in your mixture.  The mixture should also hold together when squeezed into a ball.

In a small bowl, beat the egg with the milk.  Add the mixture all at once to the dry ingredients and stir to make sure that moisture is introduced to all of the flour mixture.  Lightly dust a clean counter with flour and knead the dough on the floured counter for a few turns until it really starts to come together.  Divide the dough in two, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.  I find that the dough is just a bit easier to work with when it’s chilled.

While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling:

In a small sauce pan, heat pumpkin puree and spices over medium heat.  Just heat through until the spices become fragrant.  This helps to bring loads of flavor into the filling.  Remove from heat and place spiced pumpkin in a medium sized bowl.  Whisk in egg, salt and sugar and place in the fridge to rest while you roll out the dough.

On a well floured work surface, press dough into a 3×5-inch rectangle, roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness.  The dough should be slightly larger than 9×12-inches.  Trim dough with a pizza cutter, creating a rectangle that is 9-inches tall and 12-inches long.  Using the pizza cutter, cut each side into thirds, creating 9 squares.  Place dough squares in the fridge while you roll out the second piece of dough in the same way.

Brush one set of 9 squares with beaten egg.  This will act as the glue for the top layer of dough.  Spoon about one tablespoon of pie filling into the center of each brushed dough square.  Top with a piece of dough and use a floured fork to crimp the sides closed.  Use the tines of the fork to create vent holes in each tart.

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Let tarts rest in the fridge for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.

Remove tarts from the fridge and place in the oven to bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

While the tarts bake, whisk together ingredients for the glaze and set aside.

Let baked tarts rest on a cooling rack to cool completely before glazing.  Best served within 2 days.

Creme Fraiche Quiche

The Gourmet Cookbook

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3/4 pound bacon (12 slices) cut crosswise into 3/4-inch wide pieces

1 sheet frozen puff pastry ( from a 17 1/4-ounce package), thawed (I love Dufour puff pastry)

6 large eggs

2 (10-ounce) containers creme fraiche (2 1/4 cups)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup coursely grated Gruyere (about 4 ounces)

Put a baking sheet on a middle rack and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.

Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch square.  Because pastry sheets are in a squares, it is easier to roll it into a larger square and then trim it into a round.  Fit pastry into pie pan and trim the pastry so that just about 1/4-inch of puff pastry hangs over the sides.

Whisk eggs in a medium bowl until well combined, then whisk in creme fraiche, salt and nutmeg until just smooth.  Pour filling through a fine-mesh strainer into pastry shell.  Sprinkle bacon evenly over filling and top with Gruyere.

Bake quiche on heated baking sheet until center is set (it should not jiggle when shaken), 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Quiche will puff up while in he oven and sink a bit once it’s out and cooled.  Transfer to rack to cool to warm or room temperature.