Let's bake!

OK, so I was asked to teach a class about fall desserts.  Well, you know me.  I can't just do the standard pumpkin pie and apple crisp.  Oh no.  (But Dev, you totally need to make apple crisp.  It's easy.  Pinky promise!)  Anyway, back to the matter at hand.  So, I have been perusing all of my favorite cookbooks and surfing all over the web.  I think I'd like to find three or four fairly simple desserts.  I have been trying new recipes and the final decisions haven't been made yet, but I have a few ideas. I also have a few criteria that need to be met.  I need to be able to teach/demonstrate these recipes in under an hour.  After the class, I will be serving these desserts at a luncheon.  So, I wanted to make them self-contained (as in able to be held in the hand) and preferably bite-size (so you can sample all of them without feeling guilty).

Let me add this little disclaimer.  I know that I am taking this whole "teach a class thing"  to the extreme.  No one expects me to put this much time or thought into it.  But, it's been fun.  Call it therapy.  It's what I like to do.  And my family doesn't seem to mind all of the practicing and sampling one bit.

Let's talk pumpkin, for now.  In my ever so sophisticated surveys...pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin pie came out on top.  So, I thought I'd try a few different versions.  I found several ideas on-line that satisfied my handheld criteria.  pumpkin cream oreo tarts?  individual pumpkin oreo cheesecakes?  pumpkin oreo shooters?  two bite pumpkin pie?  Any of those ringing your bell?

Everyone is pairing pumpkin with oreo right now.  I tried it.  Twice.  I made individual pumpkin cheesecakes with an oreo crust.  The first time I used generic oreos.  Cause who wants to pay over $3.00 for a package of oreos??  Not me.  It was dis-gus-ting.  The oreo went hard as a rock.  As in you could not bite through it.  That's bad.  So, I had to suck it up and buy the real thing.  The second time around things went much better.  The real deal oreos maintain their integrity after baking.  They get a little softer, but mostly they taste like they normally do.  That's good.  Unfortuately, I decided that I didn't really like the oreo crust.  I know, right?  How can that be?  I don't know.  But my neighbor agreed.  I think the oreo overpowers the pumpkin in that small of a serving.  I tried it with a gingersnap crust and it was better, but still not "knock your socks off".  So, I'm back to the drawing board on this one.  I am thinking about just using a plain vanilla wafer.  And I am also thinking about making them really mini (my mini muffin pan instead of my regular muffin pan).  Just one bite.  We'll see.

My latest obsession is cannoli.  I found a pumpkin version and I can't wait to try it.  I made the shells yesterday.  The filling calls for ricotta cheese that has to drain overnight.  So, it should be drained and dry by now.  My plan is to whip up the filling this morning and sample those babies by lunch.  If it's a winner, I will definitely post a picture.  I think the cuteness factor alone will put it right on the top of the list.

Hmm.  The cannoli is calling....

Catcha later!