The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Scary good sweet treats to share on Halloween
There’s no way around it — Halloween is going to look diferent this year.
The Atlanta- based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending trick- or- treaters stay home. Indoor costume parties? Pretty much out of the question.
But the pandemic doesn’t have to suck all of the sweetness out of the holiday — you can still whip up desserts that are more treat than trick with these spooky delicious recipes. Enjoy them yourself or share them with your quaran team to make Halloween 2020 a little less spooky.
Pumpkin Phatty Cakes
These treats, made from a recipe from former Cakes & Ale pastry chef Cynthia Wong, have the scrumptious autumn touch of tender pumpkin cookies filled with almond mascarpone cream. The batter, cookies and filling can be made ahead of time for super fast and easy assembling come Halloween night to treat kids and adults alike. The cookies can be baked as simple drop cookies, or baked in sheets of individual silicone pumpkin molds, available at Target stores.
2 ½ cupsall- purposeflour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½teaspoon ground ginger ¼teaspoon freshly grated nut meg ½cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 2¼ cups dark brown sugar 2 large eggs, room temperature 1( 14- ounce) cansolid- pack pumpkin ½ cup heavy cream, room temperature For the filling:
1( 15- ounce) container Italian mascarpone( domestic mas carpone is too soft) ¼cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon almond extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees if baking the cookies in silicone pumpkin molds ( otherwise, wait until dough has been refrigerated).
To prepare the cookie dough: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.
In the bowl ofan electric mixer, cream the butter on lowspeed until smooth. Add brown sugar and cream again until light and fluffy, about3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on lowspeed until combined. Add the pumpkin and mixon low speed until combined. Add the heavy creamand mixon lowspeed until combined ands mooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the dry ingredients, mixing on lowspeed until flour is absorbed. Increase speed to mediumto create as mooth mixture. The dough will be soft.
To make the cookies: If making drop cookies, tightly cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for2 hours. Ifyou are using pumpkin molds, drop tablespoonfuls of batter into the molds. Using the back of a small spoon, lightly spread the batter in the molds. It doesn’t have tobe perfectly even or smooth, as the cookies will spread into the molds as they bake.
For drop cookies, drop tablespoonfuls of batter on to parchment- lined or lightly greased baking sheets.
Bake the cookies, in molds oron sheets, for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool on sheets or molds before removing to a baking rack to cool.
To make the filling: In amedium bowl, combine the mascarpone, sugar and almond extract and stir until smooth. Refrigerate, tightly wrapped, until ready to use.
To assemble the cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, make sand wiches by spreading a tablespoonful off illing on the flat side ofa cookie and topping with another cookie, rounded side out. If using molds, slice excess from flat side of cookies.
If cookies will not be eaten within 4 hours of assembling, refrigerate until ready to use.
Per serving: 570 calories ( percent of calories from fat, 48), 6 grams protein, 69 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 31 grams fat ( 9 grams saturated), 124milligrams cholesterol, 359 milligrams sodium.