Pumpkin Latte Turnovers

Every year I look forward to Starbuck's holiday flavored coffees. One of my favorites is the pumpkin latte, and with autumn here (at least on the calendar, it's supposed to be almost 80 in Omaha this week), I can almost taste one right now. This dessert is inspired by the flavors of a tasty fall snack, a warm cinnamon roll and a pumpkin latte.

The filling for these turnovers is a cooked pumpkin custard. I start with brown sugar, flour, and seasonal spices, to which I add canned pumpkin and milk. Once cooked, I add egg yolks, butter, and coffee extract and let it cool.

The pastry for this dessert could not be easier. It is Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry, and is as simple as thawing it out, cutting into squares, and filling with the pumpkin filling.  Once baked and cooled, I top them with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting.  The final result is a pastry that has all the flavors of a pumpkin latte, but is also reminiscent of pumpkin pie as well.


Pumpkin Latte Turnovers

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup milk
2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 Tbsp coffee extract
1 package Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry

In medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Slowly whisk in pumpkin and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat. In separate bowl, beat egg yolks. Add 1/2 cup of hot pumpkin mixture to eggs and whisk to combine. Add egg mixture back to pan and boil another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and coffee extract.  Let cool about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Thaw puff pastry according to package directions (about 40 minutes on the counter). Unfold each sheet and cut each sheet into 4 squares. divide pumpkin filling evenly and spoon onto pastry. Fold pastry in half by taking one corner and folding over to opposite corner, forming a triangle.

Place turnovers on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and puffed up. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack at least 30 minutes. If desired, top with cinnamon cream cheese frosting (see recipe below).

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 Tbsp butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 Tbsp cinnamon

2-1/2 cups powdered sugar

In medium mixing bowl, whip together butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla and combine. Gradually add cinnamon and powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until icing is stiff enough to spread. Frost as desired.