pumpkin pockets.

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It may be summer in Pittsburgh, but it has been autumn in Wellington for quite sometime now.  Like most people when the air turns crisp and the days turn gray I reach for foods of comfort: maple syrup, chicken dumplings, and of course, what kind of American would I be without pumpkin pie?

Unfortunately, New Zealand does not understand my love of all things pumpkin and even canned pumpkin is difficult to obtain.  Lucky for me I found a can of Libby's in the International section of my local Countdown grocery store.  Sure, it was around $3 per can, but it was totally worth it.


Pumpkin Pie Spice

Makes Approx 3 Tbsp

1 3/4 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cloves

Recipe found at My Baking Addiction 






Pumpkin Pockets

Pre-made pie crust
      In New Zealand I use Edmonds Sweet Short Pastry
      In the States I use Pillsbury Refrigerated pie crust

 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
dash of salt

1. Place crust flat on a baking sheet.  If you are using a frozen pie crust let the crust thaw for 15 minutes before working with it, if you are using a refrigerated pie crust you can begin working immediately.

2. Mix together pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until uniform throughout.

3. Cut the pie crust into rectangles.  When using Pillsbury pie crust you can expect to get approximately six rectangles per sheet, though they won't all be perfect rectangles.  With Edmonds you can only get three per a sheet.

4. On one half of the rectangle, place a tablespoon of the pumpkin mixture.  Fold the other side of the crust over the filling and pinch the edges down.  Use a fork to gently press down the edges and create a simple design.

5. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cook for approximately 10 minutes at 125°C (250°F) or until the tops are golden brown.

Filling recipe is taken from Pillsbury




Note: Edmonds Sweet Short Pastry is not the same as pie crust in the States.  It is delicious, but the way it puffs up is more like a pot pie than a pie crust.  The flavour is also sweeter and similar to that of a shortbread.  

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