After two Momofuku cakes and a batch of cookies, it was time to make a third cake, one focusing on a flavor that is trending right now – pumpkin. I’m hooked on Christina Tosi’s recipes lately, but worry not, I will resume regular baking once I get this out of my system. Not that I’m complaining.. her recipes are amazing, easy to follow, texturized and absolutely delicious! And so much fun to make! Making these recipes has allowed me to discover new techniques and become more aware of what different textures can mean to a cake or how different tastes come together into the perfect dessert. It’s food for thought, beyond being a delicious cake to make!

This Momofuku pumpkin pie cake has one main ingredient that is found throughout the layers of the cake – pumpkin – first in the form of a pumpkin puree and second, in the form of pumpkin seeds (pepitas). The pumpkin puree I used was homemade, therefore the flavor was fresh and intense, but canned puree can be used as well. I have to say I fell in love with the sponge cake – never before I made a pumpkin cake that was this fluffy and fragrant. Usually this kind of cakes are moist, but slightly dense. Well, this one is the opposite and it’s definitely a keeper for other occasions too. Plus, the technique used to make the cake is quite interesting and although I had my fare share of doubts at first, now I trust Christina’s recipes more than anything.

I did make a few changes here and there, starting with the fact that I used less pepitas – which happened accidentally because I just bought a smaller bag at the store while the recipe calls for 250g of this delicious stuff. It’s still a bit too much I think, I only used 100g and I found them to add enough texture and taste, but feel free to add more if you make this cake. I also did a few changes to the graham crust crumbs, but nothing that would change the taste of the final cake.



{Momofuku Pumpkin Pie Cake} Print Author: Olguta - Pastry Workshop Serves:: 9-10 servings Ingredients: Toasted Pepitas: 100-200g pepitas Milk Syrup: 60ml milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pumpkin pie cake: 115g butter, softened

125g white sugar

150g light brown sugar

1 egg

25ml canola oil

100ml buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

175g pumpkin puree

230g all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder Graham crust crumbs: 140g all-purpose flour

100g whole wheat flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon powder

½ teaspoon ground ginger

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

115g butter, melted

20ml cold water Graham Crust Liquid cheesecake: 225g cream cheese

100g white sugar

6g cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

25ml milk

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

⅓ of the graham crust crumbs Pumpkin ganache: 150g white chocolate

25g butter

50g glucose

55ml cold heavy cream

75g pumpkin puree

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder Directions: Toasted Pepitas: Spread the pepitas in a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in the preheated oven at 350F for 10 or until fragrant and golden brown. Allow to cool in the pan. Milk Syrup: Combine the ingredients in a bowl and place aside until needed. Pumpkin pie cake: Preheat your oven to 350F and line a 35x25cm pan with baking paper. Mix the butter in a bowl for 1 minute until fluffy and creamy. Add the sugars and continue mixing for about 3 minutes until light and pale. Stir in the egg and mix for another 2 minutes until well combined. With the mixer on, stream in the canola oil and buttermilk and continue mixing for 5 minutes until the mixture looks double in volume and has a very pale color. Stir in the vanilla and pumpkin puree, then add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and mix just until combined. Spoon the batter in the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until well risen and golden brown. Allow to cool in the pan. Graham crust crumbs: Combine the flours, salt, cinnamon, ginger and sugar in a bowl. Drizzle in the melted butter and water and mix well until grainy. Transfer the mixture in a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in the preheated oven at 350F for 20 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy. Allow to cool then take ⅓ of the mixture and place it aside. Graham Crust Liquid cheesecake: Mix the cream cheese in a bowl until creamy. Add the sugar and mix for 2 minutes until fluffy. Combine the salt, milk, cornstarch, egg and vanilla in a bowl. Gradually pour this mixture voer the cream cheese, mixing all the time. Pour the cheesecake in a deep dish baking pan lined with baking paper and bake in the preheated oven at 330F for 15-20 minutes just until set, but not golden brown. Allow to cool in the pan then transfer in a bowl and stir in the graham crust crumbs. Pumpkin ganache: Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a hot water bath just until smooth and melted. Transfer the chocolate in a tall container. Warm the glucose in a saucepan then pour it over the chocolate and pulse for a few seconds. Stream in the cold heavy cream and continue mixing then add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until smooth. Place the container in the fridge until needed. To assemble the cake: Start by lining a 16cm cake ring with acetate sheets and place it on a platter. Take your pumpkin pie sponge cake and cut 2 16cm discs of cake. Using the cake leftovers, make a third layer of cake at the bottom of your cake ring. Brush the cake with milk syrup. Top the cake with ½ of the graham crust liquid cheesecake. Sprinkle ⅓ of the pepitas and ⅓ of the remaining graham crust crumbs. Top with ⅓ of the pumpkin ganache. Cover with another disc of sponge cake and brush it with milk syrup. Repeat the layers with cheesecake, pepitas, crumbs and ganache. Place the last disc of sponge cake on top and brush it with milk. Cover it with pumpkin ganache, followed by crumbs and pepitas. Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe 3.5.3208

Nu e vreo surpriza ca imi plac retetele Christinei Tosi – Momofuku Milk Bar. Dupa doua torturi si o portie de fursecuri, iata ca a venit randul unui al treilea tort – de aceasta data cu un ingredient foarte actual, dovleac.

E un tort intens aromat nu doar cu dovleac, ci si cu diverse condimente, de la scortisoara, la ghimbir sau nucsoara. Dar ceea ce mi-a placut cel mai mult la acest tort este textura. Blatul pufos, crema fina si firimiturile crocante creeaza un contrast de texturi delicios!

Reteta o respecta in mare pe cea originala, cu mici schimbari ici si colo la cantitatile de zahar si de seminte de dovleac, dar nimic care sa influenteze in vreun fel gustul final al tortului. Ce obtineti in final e un tort stratificat, aromat, cremos si totusi crocant, un tort usor iesit din comun, dar care impresioneaza prin design si gust.

Ingrediente:

Seminte de dovleac prajite:

100-200g seminte de dovleac decojite

Sirop de lapte:

60ml lapte

1 lingurita extract de vanilie

Blat cu piure de dovleac:

115g unt la temperature camerei

125g zahar alb

150g zahar brun

1 ou

25ml ulei vegetal

100ml lapte batut

1 lingurita extract de vanilie

175g piure de dovleac

230g faina alba

1 lingurita bicarbonat de sodiu

1 lingurita praf de copt

1 lingurita scortisoara pudra

½ lingurita ghimbir macinat

¼ lingurita nucsoara macinata

½ lingurita sare

Firimituri crocante integrale:

140g faina alba

100g faina integrala

½ lingurita sare

½ lingurita scortisoara pudra

½ lingurita ghimbir

3 linguri zahar brun

115g unt, topit

20ml apa rece

Cheesecake lichid cu firimituri crocante:

225g crema de branza

100g zahar alb

6g amidon

¼ lingurita sare

25 ml lapte

1 ou

½ lingurita extract de vanilie

1/3 din firimiturile crocante integrale

Ganache de ciocolata alba si dovleac:

150g ciocolata alba

25g unt

50g glucoza

55ml smantana pentru frisca rece

75g piure de dovleac

½ lingurita sare

¼ lingurita scortisoara

Mod de preparare:

Seminte de dovleac prajite:

Puneti semintele intr-o tava si coaceti la 180C pentru 10 minute doar pana devin usor aurii. Dati deoparte.

Sirop de lapte:

Cobinati ingredientele intr-un bol si dati deoparte pana la nevoie.

Blat cu piure de dovleac:

Tapetati o tava de 35x25cm cu hartie de copt si preincalziti cuptorul la 180C. Mixati untul intr-un bol pentru 1-2 minute pana devine cremos. Adaugati zaharul si mixati aproximativ 3 minute pana devine deschis la culoare. Adaugati oul si mixati alte 2 minute pana e bine incorporate. Incorporati uleiul vegetal si laptele batut, turnandu-le treptat in timp ce mixati. Continuati sa mixati cel putin 5 minute pana compozitia isi dubleaza volumul si devine albicioasa. Adaugati restul ingredientelor, mixand doar cateva secunde, cat sa fie bine incorporate. Turnati aluatul in tava pregatita si coaceti 30-35 minute pana blatul creste frumos si devine auriu. Lasati sa se raceasca in tava.

Firimituri crocante integrale:

Combinati cele doua tipuri de faina, condimentele, zaharul si sarea intr-un bol. Adaugati untul si apa si amestecati bine cu o furculita sau varfurile degetelor pana obtinti un amestec nisipos. Intindeti amestecul intr-o tava tapetata cu hartie de copt si coaceti la 180C pentru 15-20 minute sau pana devin aurii. Cand e gata, dati deoparte 1/3 din aceste firimituri pentru crema de branza. Restul vor fi folosite intre straturi.

Cheesecake lichid cu firimituri crocante:

Mixati crema de branza 1-2 minute pana devine cremoasa. Adaugati zaharul si mai mixati 2 minute. Intr-un bol, combinati amidonul, sarea, laptele, oul si vanilia si amestecati bine. Turnati peste crema de branza in timp ce mixati. Turnati compozitia intr-un vas adanc tapetat cu hartie de copt si coaceti la 170C pentru 15 minute sau pana arata inchegat, dar nu auriu. Cand e gata, transferati intr-un bol si adaugati firimiturile crocante.

Ganache de ciocolata alba si dovleac:

Topiti ciocolata si untul intr-un bol pe baie de aburi. Transferati ciocolata intr-un vas inalt pentru blender. Incalziti glucoza intr-un vas pe foc mic. Turnati-o peste ciocolata si amestecati cu un blender de mana cateva secunde. Adaugati in fir subtire smantana pentru frisca si pulsati bine pana obtineti un amestec fin si cremos. Incorporati restul ingredientelor si amestecati bine. Dati la rece pana la nevoie.

Pentru a asambla tortul: