Mummy pastry-wrapped brie appetizer

When I was thinking of what appetizers to serve guests just before Halloween, I turned to the internet for some holiday ideas. One that popped up more than once, was this pastry-wrapped brie cheese, meant to look like a mummy. Bingo. I had the basis for my charcuterie board. It was easy to make, using purchased puff pastry, with some apple slices and raisins for the eyes. Add some salumi (your choice, I used some soppressata), nuts, olives, fruit and maybe another dip or two, with some crackers and bread, and you can sit down and enjoy conversation with your guests instead of fussing in the kitchen.

By the way, I meant to spread some fig jam over the brie before wrapping, but I forgot that step. So I served the fig jam on the side. I also meant to brush the pastry with egg before baking, but I forgot that too (senility starting). As it turns out, it didn't need that either, so if you want to eliminate either of those steps, it works out just fine.

Happy Halloween.

Pastry Wrapped Brie Appetizer

printable recipe here

One 8 ounce wheel of brie cheese

fig jam (optional)

1 sheet of puff pastry

1 egg, beaten for spreading over the pastry (optional)

small piece of apple and raisin or currants.

Defrost the sheet of puff pastry and roll it out to make sure it doesn't fall apart at the creases.

Smear some fig jam on the top of the brie and flip over so that the jam side is facing the pastry.

Fold the pastry over the brie, cutting out excess, but making sure to cover the entire wheel of cheese.

With the excess pieces, cut them into strips and cover the pastry again, placing the strips helter-skelter. 

If the pieces are too small, scrunch them together and roll out again.

When you place the strips on the pastry, make sure to tuck them into the bottom so they don't release in the baking.

Using a pastry brush, brush some of the beaten egg over the pastry.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let the brie rest for at least 15 minutes before serving, otherwise the cheese will be too runny.

Cut some thin pieces of apple and small currants or raisins and place into the pastry at strategic spots for the eyes.

Serve with crackers.

 

Pumpkin Spice Cake

"Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. He's gotta pick this one. He's got to. I don't see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there's not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see." - Linus

It's the night before Halloween and I've finally finished sewing the kids' costumes (he a knight in shining armor, she a medieval damsel in distress). The dinner dishes have been cleared and the pumpkin takes center stage on the countertop, ready for carving. Will it be a funny face? Or a scary face this year? Dad helps bridge a compromise (and carve the pumpkin) after much arguing, and the jack o'lantern is set on the stoop outdoors, while the salted seeds roast in the oven. They're done just in time to munch while watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" on TV - a tradition we'd no sooner miss than skip trick or treating. 

Yes, it's the night before Halloween, but for years now, there have been no costumes to stitch, no arguments about what to carve on the pumpkin. And I'm watching TV alone while Linus waits in vain for the Great Pumpkin. Somehow it feels like shouting in a vacuum. 

The years have flown by faster than Snoopy's dogfight with the Red Baron and nostalgia could threaten to take me down. But no, I'm remembering the good times, and remembering that while there is no pumpkin on the counter to be carved, there is a pumpkin spice cake that is calling my name. 

And a darned good one too, even if it's not a great looker. It's baked in a plain Jane rectangular pan, with a cream cheese frosting sprinkled with nuts. The kind of thing you'd find at a bake sale - or in my kitchen tonight.

It doesn't make the pretty statement like the circular pumpkin coffee cake I made earlier in the week to serve to my Italian chit-chat group (photo below), but the rectangular recipe tastes a whole lot better.  If you really want the recipe for this one, email me and I'll send it to you, but once you've tried the pumpkin spice cake, you won't want any other.

Don't get me wrong - the crumb-topped pumpkin coffee cake was good, but not nearly as moist and tender as I wanted.

So more "research" was in order. That's when I found this recipe on Mary's blog, "One Perfect Bite." As Mary states on her post, the recipe is a gem of simplicity and feeds a lot of people. She was so right. But even more importantly, it tastes terrific. I know I'll be making this one again and again now that pumpkin season is here.

And even though the knight and damsel are not here to share it with me, I'll follow Linus' suggestion and be "most sincere" as I savor every bite.

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin-Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Pillsbury 

printable recipe here
Ingredients:
Cake
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin 
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup raisins, if desired
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package (8-oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 to 3 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, if desired

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan with cooking spray.
2) Combine eggs, granulated sugar, oil and pumpkin in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Stir in raisins if using. Spread in pan.
3) Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
4) In medium bowl, combine and beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable. Spread frosting over cake. Sprinkle with walnuts. Cut to desired size. Store covered in refrigerator.