Pumpkin-filled Cream Puffs With Maple-caramel Sauce

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• stir in 1/3 cup half-and-half or light cream
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400 degrees. line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
• 2 to make the cream puffs: in a medium saucepan combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. bring to boiling over medium heat. add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. cook and stir until mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the side of the pan. remove from heat; cool for 10 minutes. add eggs one at a time beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition.
• 3 drop 8 heaping tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheet. bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and firm. transfer cream puffs to a wire rack and let cool.
• 4 to make the pumpkin mousse filling: using a chilled large mixing bowl beat 1 cup whipping cream, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice with the chilled beaters of an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). fold in 1 cup canned pumpkin. cover and chill for up to 4 hours.
• 5 to make the maple-caramel sauce: in a small heavy saucepan stir together 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. stir in 1/3 cup half-and-half or light cream, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon butter.
• 6 cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly (mixture may appear curdled before it bubbles). cook and stir for 2 minutes more. remove from heat; stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
• 7 using a serrated knife, cut each cream puff in half horizontally; remove soft dough from inside. fill cream puffs with pumpkin mousse. replace tops. spoon some of the warm maple-caramel sauce onto eight dessert plates; sprinkle with some of the toasted pecans.
• 8 place a filled cream puff on top of the sauce on each plate. drizzle each cream puff with remaining sauce and sprinkle with remaining pecans. cover and chill for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.