STETIANA | DREAMSTIME.COM
By Margaret M. Johnson
The ancient Celtic harvest feast called Samhain (pronounced SAH-win) marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, the “darker half” of the year. Celebrated October 31-November 1, it was suggested in the late nineteenth century that it was the “Celtic New Year,” and over time, Samhain and All Saints’/All Souls’ Days merged to create our modern celebration of Halloween. Several foods are traditionally eaten in Ireland at this time, but here we’re more likely to find the great pumpkin taking center stage in breads, cakes, puddings and, of course, on doorsteps everywhere. (Most cooks find it more efficient to purchase canned pumpkin, however, rather than to cut and scrape the flesh from a fresh one, so the recipes here use pumpkin purée). You’ll find recipes like this in my newest cookbook, “Favorite Flavors of Ireland.” Order signed copies, with free shipping until October 31, from www.irishcook.com.
PUMPKIN POUND CAKE
Makes 1 loaf
The name of this cake comes from the list of ingredients traditionally used for it: one pound each of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. The ingredients remain the same today, but the beauty of this cake is the number of other flavors that can be added, including chocolate, fruit, pumpkin, and autumn spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin
3 large eggs
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan and dust with flour; tap out excess.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk in cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In another large bowl, cream butter and sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture until smooth.
- Transfer to the prepared pan, smooth top, and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Invert cake onto rack and let cool completely.
PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING WITH MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM
Serves 6 to 8
STETIANA | DREAMSTIME.COM
If you love pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie, you’ll adore this rich pudding made with challah bread! Top it with freshly whipped cream enhanced with mascarpone cheese.
Pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 loaf challah bread, cut or torn into pieces
1 cup chopped pecans
Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- Make pudding. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9-inch glass baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, salt, vanilla, sugar, eggs, and milk until smooth. Add bread, stir to coat, and then let bread soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Transfer to prepared pan, sprinkle with pecans, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into center comes out clean.
- Make whipped cream. In a medium bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Add mascarpone and continue whipping, gradually adding sugar, until stiff peaks form.
- To serve, spoon pudding into stem glasses and top with whipped cream. (Leftover whipped cream can be refrigerated for 3 days).
PUMPKIN-CRANBERRY BREAD
Makes 2 loaves
With Thanksgiving coming hot on the heels of Halloween, the recipe for this delicious pumpkin-cranberry bread is one to keep at-the-ready for the next major holiday. To make-ahead and freeze, let the breads cool completely, wrap in plastic, and then foil.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
4 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease two 9-inch loaf pans and dust with flour; tap out excess.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in sugar.
- In another bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Stir into flour mixture, and then stir in pumpkin, cranberries, and nuts.
- Transfer to prepared pans and bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Invert breads onto rack and let cool completely.
Margaret M. Johnson’s ”Favorite Flavors of Ireland” is a “labor of love and tribute to her thirty years of travel there. It offers more than 100 best-loved recipes from her previous ten cookbooks and celebrates the special flavors of each Irish season: Spring/An t-Earrach, Summer/An Samhradh, Autum/An Fómhar, Winter/An Geimhreadh.” To order a signed copy, WITH FREE SHIPPING THROUGHOUT OCTOBER, visit www.irishcook.com.
