Episode 95: Pretty, Perfect Pumpkin Muffins

Stefin Kohn

Ever wondered why your homemade pumpkin puree doesn’t taste quite the same as the “100% Pure Pumpkin” you buy in the grocery store? Stefin’s been investigating, and discovered that the USDA allows a variety of orange winter squash to be used under this title. And speaking of homemade puree, though you may be tempted to cook up your Halloween leftovers, be sure to use sugar pie pumpkins when making homemade puree. Jack-o’-lanterns are bred for size and easy of carving, but are a little too watery for baking success.

Two recipes if you’re interested in making homemade pumpkin puree: Roasted, and a crock pot version.

Pumpkin Crumb Cake Muffins with Maple Icing: An Autumnal Delight from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Thanks to listener Bridgette who gave this recipe a “Preheated Preview” — she’d made this muffin a few times and gave it a big thumbs up. She wasn’t wrong: Both Stefin and Andrea thought Sally’s Baking Addiction’s Pumpkin Crumb Cake Muffins were a bakery perfect treat that wowed on taste, texture and appearance.

Both hosts used standard size muffin tins, and a generous 2 T. of crumb topping per muffin (amount wasn’t specified in the recipe). Stefin enjoyed the maple icing but could have used even more maple flavor. (Add some maple extract next time?) Andrea, not a maple fan, skipped the icing entirely and reports the muffins were mighty fine even without this final step.

Andrea notes it’s a perfect time to check your baking spices, including the pumpkin pie spice that’s called for in this recipe. Don’t let your spices get musty or you’ll compromise on flavor. Many stores are beginning to mark baking supplies down in anticipation of holiday baking, so treat yourself and stock up!

This Week’s Bake Along: Coconut Pumpkin Chiffon Pie from Southern Living, and The Pie King

This week’s pumpkin bake along is Coconut-Pumpkin Chiffon Pie from Southern Living. Chiffon pie has haunted Stefin since she glimpsed in on the cover of one of her favorite cookbooks: Better Homes & Garden’s 1971 classic, Five Seasons of Cranberry, but she’s never made one herself. Andrea has had a lot of experience with chiffon pie, as they’re incredibly popular in the South. She was intrigued to learn, then, that chiffon pie actually has its origins in 1926 California and an enterprising entrepreneur, Monroe Strause, better known as “The Pie King,” who sold his pies for the shocking 1920s price of $1.80.

Andrea encourages listeners to watch the behind-the-scenes video for three pro tips that aren’t in the written recipe: 1) do not skip Step 1: the cooling step; 2) consider using larger coconut curls for the topping; and, the best, 3) be sure to use a hot knife when slicing chilled pies.

In London, Stefin will visit the American Food Store for sweetened coconut, and plans to use leaf gelatin in place of powdered, and gingernut biscuits in place of the graham crackers in the crust.

Importance of Ingredients: Gelatin!

A key component of chiffon pies is gelatin, which can be an economical and easy way to add thickness without fat. Some fast facts about the ingredient Christopher Kimball wouldn’t be without:

  • Gelatin is a product of animal collagen and helps thicken liquid into a more solid state;
  • It comes in two main forms for home bakers: Leaf (popular in Europe) is melted and cooled into thin plastic sheets. Powdered gelatin is prevalent in the US, and easy to find in the orange box of Knox;
  • Do take care when subbing one for the other, as proportions and practices are a bit different;
  • Both types need to be added to liquid to dissolve, and some chefs suggest you do this when the liquid is warm to avoid “roping” — when long strands of gelatin are visible in the finished, thickened product;
  • There are several non-animal gelatin substitutes including agar, pectin, guar gum, and carrageenan, which is made of seaweed.
  • Learn more about gelatin on the Modernist Pantry website!

Listeners: Are there ingredients that mystify you, or that you’ve always been eager to know more about? We’d love to take a deep dive in an upcoming Importance of Ingredients segment. Let us know!

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