STEEMIT IRONCHEF 2017 #08: CHILLY PUMPKIN LAYERS

Everybody knows that when Fall arrives, it's best to dress in layers - Just in case it warms up in the afternoon or gets chilly in the evening.

In the spirit of the chilly weather and fall layers, I made this layered pumpkin treat for this 8th week of the Steemit Ironchef Competition. Here's a diagram of those pumpkiny Fall layers:

For the most part, this treat is free of processed ingredients, so you are feeding your body some high quality dessert if you make this one!

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Here's a very abbreviated overview of the process:

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Chocolate wafer crust

Ingredients

• chocolate wafer cookies
• coconut oil

Directions

• crush the cookies, mix with some coconut oil, and press into a springform pan.
• bake for 5 minutes at 350F.

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Pumpkin banana bread

Ingredients

• 1/2 c coconut oil
• 4 T honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 c pumpkin puree (I baked a sugar pumpkin and mashed the cooked flesh, but canned pumpkin puree will also work great)
• 3 ripe bananas
• 2T apple cider
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1/4 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 3/4 t salt
• 1 T cinnamon

Directions

• I tossed all of the wet ingredients into the blender and ran it on high until everything was well combined.
• I then stirred the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. So easy!
• Pour a thin layer of the batter directly onto the cooled chocolate wafer crust
• Bake until the layer is just set, roughly 20 minutes depending on the thickness. (A toothpick should come out clean).

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Pumpkin custard

Ingredients

• 3/4 c pumpkin puree
• 1/2 c cream
• 1/2 c milk
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/4 c honey
• 4 egg yolks

Directions

• combine everything except the egg yolks in a saucepan over medium heat, bring just to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
• whisk the egg yolks and slowly add 1/3 of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks to temper them, then add the egg mixture into the hot milk mixture slowly while whisking.
• continue whisking over medium heat until the custard thickens so that it coats the back of a spoon.
• pour a thin layer of custard onto the cooled banana pumpkin bread layer and gently place it in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours.

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Pumpkin caramel

Ingredients

• 1/2 c pumpkin puree
• 1 c apple cider
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 2 T coconut oil

Directions

• Combine all of the ingredients and heat over medium heat until the mixture is thickened - don't let it burn!
• Pour the caramel on top of the custard layer and try to spread it without disturbing the custard.
• place the whole pan into the freezer!

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Maple meringue

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 c maple syrup

Directions

• place a heat proof bowl over a pan with about 2 inches of boiling water
• combine the egg whites and maple syrup in the bowl and using a hand mixer, whisk for several minutes, gradually increasing the speed, until you've got stiff peaks.
• Refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

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Pumpkin seed brittle

Ingredients

• pumpkin seeds
• maple syrup
• 1/4 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t vanilla

Directions

• Combine everything into a pan over medium heat and bring just to a boil
• transfer to a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper and bake at 350F until the brittle has set - it will be pliable but solid.

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To serve

• Use a circular cookie cutter to create mini pumpkin towers, top them with the meringue and pumpkin seed brittle and enjoy! You can also pipe leftover custard and meringue onto the plate and get creative with shapes!

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I hope you've enjoyed this recipe, and I'd love to hear your thoughts.

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If you're interested in being a part of the Steemit IronChef Competition, don't forget to check out the details at @steemit-ironchef. A huge thanks to @progressivechef for coming up with this awesome way to showcase our food creations and build community with each other here on Steemit. Looking forward to continuing this competition!!

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All content and images by @jaymorebeet, taken on October 24, 2017 with a Canon 7D Mark II.