Pumpkiny Wumpkiny

I'm glad I came up with this recipe in November because what could be more apropos than miniature pumpkin pies? These are just so stinking cute! And they're as delicious and easy as they are screamingly adorable.

This really is my very own recipe, reason being that I don't really like regular old pie crust at all. I always scoop the middle out of pie when I eat it so I don't have to eat any crust...I just think it's so bland and greasy. I say "BAH!" to pie crust! So I've borrowed from several recipes, put in things I like, took out things I didn't, and Voila! crust that actually tastes as good as I always hope pie crust will taste.

The only bad thing about them is that forming the little pastry shells is rather time consuming... but what a fun thing for the kids to help with! The dough doesn't have any eggs in it and it's fun to shape them in the mini muffin tins. These can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator until it's time to eat them. Eat them plain, dollop on a little whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg, sprinkle with mini chocolate chips...the possibilites for these cutesy little things are endless!

This recipe makes 48 tartlets, but can be cut in half if necessary. (Though why you'd want less, I can't imagine!)

Pumpkin Tartlets

Cream Cheese Pastry:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
2 and 1/2 cups flour

-Mix together the cream cheese and butter until well blended.
-Cut in the flour with a fork or pastry blender until you have pea size crumbs.
-Mix with a spoon until it just starts to come together into a ball. Fold a few times with your hands to bring it together into a dough.
-Roll into walnut size balls (you should end up with approximately 48 dough balls) and put one ball into each cup of a mini muffin tin. (If you only have a 12 or 24 cup muffin tin, just stash the extras in the fridge until your pan is cool and ready for the next batch.)
-Using your thumb, press the balls down and shape evenly around the bottom and sides with your thumb into the same shape as the tin, making a shell for the pumpkin filling. Set aside while you make the filling.

Pumpkin Filling:

2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups canned pumpkin puree
4 tablespoons evaporated milk or half & half
2/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons flour
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel or 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
-In a bowl stir together the egg, pumpkin and evaporated milk. Stir in sugar, flour, lemon, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt until well mixed.
-Spoon about 1 tablespoon filling into each pastry shell; just enough to fill it to the top.
-Bake for 25 minutes or until crust is browned and filling is set. Remove from tins and cool on a wire rack. Serve or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator within 2 hours of baking.

Makes about 48 tartlets.

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P.S. Would anyone be interested in the Nutrition information on the recipes, or would that ruin the enjoyment factor for you? Leave me a comment and let me know.

P.p.S. Sidenote of interest for all my fellow bakers: You can buy a heavy duty 24 cup Wilton Mini Muffin Tin at Wal-Mart for just shy of $5 right now. Anyone who has bought or owns Wilton products, that is an amazing price. Go buy one!