Pumpkin Mousse

For Pumpkin Mousse:

2 cups roasted pumpkin
1/2 cup maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 envelope Knox gelatin
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sour cream

Pulse pumpkin flesh in blender with maple syrup, cinnamon and ginger.

Sprinkle gelatin over 1 tablespoon whipping cream and let sit 5 minutes.

Beat whipping cream until peaks form.

Heat up gelatin mixture in pan of water over medium heat until dissolved. Pour into blender and pulse with pumpkin.

Add whipping cream to blender. Pulse until just combined.

Spoon pumpkin-whipped cream mixture into reserved pumpkin shell.

Refrigerate overnight. Serve in ice cream dishes alone or with crumbled gingersnap cookies on top.

Dulce de Leche Empanadas

I love dulce de leche. I love ice cream. I love apples. I figured they can only be more delicious when combined (sort of a holy triad, if you will). I felt what some might describe as inappropriate joy upon eating these gooey, creamy and sweet creations...*content sigh*.

Maybe these are better described as turnovers, but as I am using frozen empanada wrappers (not as homemade, I know, but it saves SO much time, I highly recommend them in a pinch) to create empanadas de dulce de leche con manzanas y una bola de helado: dulce de leche and apple empandas with good old fashioned vanilla ice cream.

To make 10 empanadas:
1 pack frozen Goya empanada shells
5 small to medium sized apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup dulce de leche
Vanilla ice cream

Defrost empanada shells in fridge until ready to bake.

Preheat oven to 400.

Slice apples into 8ths and then once again horizontally. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon over apples and add lemon juice. Stir mixture.

Melt butter in medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add apples and stir until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Use a rolling pin to flatten empanada shells, one by one. Add about 1/2 of an apple to shell and a scoop of dulce de leche (a bit less than a tablespoon).

Fold dough over and pinch shut. Use a fork to create ridges along edge of dough. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon and brown sugar over the empanadas.

Bake empanadas for about 20 minutes or until slightly golden brown.





Serve with vanilla ice cream.