Reimagined Fall Desserts

Pumpkin Pie Éclairs

The éclair has always been a showcase pastry, crisp choux filled with something silky, topped with something glossy. This version trades the usual vanilla cream for a pumpkin-spiced mascarpone filling and crowns the whole thing with a maple glaze and candied pecans. It’s fall flavour dressed up in bakery chic.

Ingredients for Choux Pastry

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs

Ingredients for Pumpkin Pastry Cream

• 2 cups whole milk
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• ½ cup pumpkin purée
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup mascarpone cheese

Ingredients for Maple Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1–2 tbsp milk
• ¼ cup candied pecans, finely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan, 2–3 minutes. Transfer the dough to a bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until the dough is smooth and glossy.
2. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 4-inch logs onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them apart. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 15 minutes more, until puffed, golden, and crisp. Cool completely on a wire rack.
3. For the pastry cream, heat the milk in a saucepan until steaming. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks until the mixture is pale and thick. Slowly whisk in the hot milk, then return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, butter, and vanilla. Transfer to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly on the surface, and chill until cold. Once cooled, whisk in the mascarpone until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
4. For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and enough milk to make a thick but spreadable glaze. Split the éclairs in half and pipe the pumpkin pastry cream into the bottoms. Spread glaze over the tops and finish with a sprinkle of candied pecans.
5. Note: Éclairs are best eaten the day they’re made, but the shells can be baked a day ahead and kept airtight. Fill and glaze just before serving for the best texture.

Carrot Cake Candy Bars

Carrot cake is one of those desserts that wears nostalgia on its sleeve, with cream cheese frosting, warm spices, and maybe a candle stuck in the top if it’s your birthday - just like mom used to do. These candy bars take that same cozy flavour profile and pack it into handheld bites (my favourite!). The carrot filling is cooked down until it’s jammy, then folded with cream cheese, coconut, and pecans, and finally covered in white chocolate. They’re sweet, tangy, and just the right amount of cheeky.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cups finely grated carrots
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• Zest of 1 orange
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup shredded coconut, toasted
• ½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• ¼ tsp kosher salt

Ingredients for Coating

• 12 oz white chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and orange zest. Cook, stirring often, until the carrots are softened and the mixture is thick and jammy, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool completely.
2. Stir in the cream cheese, coconut, pecans, and salt until smooth and well combined. Line an 8 × 8-inch baking pan with parchment and press the filling evenly into the pan. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Lift the filling from the pan and cut into bars. Dip each bar into the melted chocolate, letting excess drip off, and set on a wire rack placed over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let the chocolate set and enjoy!
4. Note: These bars can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving so the filling softens.

Caramel Apple Swirl Marshmallows

Apple pie meets candy shop in these fluffy marshmallows. Roasted apples, puréed with warm spices, get folded into a cloud of vanilla marshmallow along with ribbons of salted caramel. Every square shows off marbled swirls of fruit and caramel, making these treats as striking to look at as they are to eat.

Ingredients for the Apple Purée

• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• Zest of ½ lemon

Ingredients for Salted Caramel

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ½ tsp kosher salt

Ingredients for Marshmallow Base

• 3 envelopes powdered gelatin
• ½ cup cold water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• ½ cup water
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Roast the apples with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon zest at 400°F for 20 minutes, until soft and caramelized. Purée until smooth, then pass through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside to cool completely.
2. For the caramel, heat the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat without stirring until the mixture turns a deep amber colour. Remove from the heat, whisk in the butter, then cream, and finish with salt. Cool slightly.
3. For the marshmallows, bloom the gelatin in ½ cup cold water in the bowl of a stand mixer. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and ½ cup water, and cook until the temperature reaches 240°F. With the mixer on low, slowly pour the syrup over the gelatin. Then, whip on high until the mixture is thick, bright white, and tripled in volume, about 8–10 minutes. Beat in the salt and vanilla.
4. Working quickly, fold in the apple purée and drizzle in the caramel, swirling gently with a silicone spatula to marble the mixture. Pour into a greased, parchment-lined 9 × 13-inch pan and let set at room temperature for at least 4 hours. Cut into squares with an oiled knife, wiping clean between cuts.
5. Note: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.