Pumpkin Pasties
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter and crisco, using a pastry cutter or fork, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk to the bowl and gently toss it with the flour mixture using a fork. Add the cold milk, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tossing it gently in and making sure not to over-mix the pastry, until the pastry is wet enough to form into a ball, but not gooey. Form the dough into two discs, wrap them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour or until they are firm enough to easily roll out without sticking.
While the dough chills mix together the filling. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or in a mixing bowl using a whisk) cream together the cream cheese and sugars until the mixture is well-combined and fluffy. Add the pumpkin, egg yolk, spices and vanilla and mix together until well-blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate until the pastry is firm. This will also firm up the filling making it less runny and easier to use.
Preheat oven to 375ºF and line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Once the pastry and filling has chilled sufficiently, remove one round of dough and the filling from the fridge. On a lightly floured board, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out a round piece of dough about 5 inches in diameter, using a biscuit cutter or small bowl. Place 1 Tablespoon of filling in the center of the dough and fold the dough over to form a crescent shape. Press on the round edge of the pasty to seal the filling inside and place the pasty on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling to make 16-18 pasties. The dough scraps can be re-rolled a couple of times before becoming too stiff to handle.
Once all the pasties have been made, brush each one with some of the egg yolk mixed with water. In a small bowl, stir together the white sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle some of this mixture onto each pasty. Bake the pasties in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or just until the pastry is flaky and golden brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. If you try to serve these very warm, they will be fragile and might fall apart so it's best to wait for them to cool a little, if you can!
Ingredients
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter and crisco, using a pastry cutter or fork, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk to the bowl and gently toss it with the flour mixture using a fork. Add the cold milk, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tossing it gently in and making sure not to over-mix the pastry, until the pastry is wet enough to form into a ball, but not gooey. Form the dough into two discs, wrap them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour or until they are firm enough to easily roll out without sticking.
While the dough chills mix together the filling. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or in a mixing bowl using a whisk) cream together the cream cheese and sugars until the mixture is well-combined and fluffy. Add the pumpkin, egg yolk, spices and vanilla and mix together until well-blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate until the pastry is firm. This will also firm up the filling making it less runny and easier to use.
Preheat oven to 375ºF and line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Once the pastry and filling has chilled sufficiently, remove one round of dough and the filling from the fridge. On a lightly floured board, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out a round piece of dough about 5 inches in diameter, using a biscuit cutter or small bowl. Place 1 Tablespoon of filling in the center of the dough and fold the dough over to form a crescent shape. Press on the round edge of the pasty to seal the filling inside and place the pasty on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling to make 16-18 pasties. The dough scraps can be re-rolled a couple of times before becoming too stiff to handle.
Once all the pasties have been made, brush each one with some of the egg yolk mixed with water. In a small bowl, stir together the white sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle some of this mixture onto each pasty. Bake the pasties in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or just until the pastry is flaky and golden brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. If you try to serve these very warm, they will be fragile and might fall apart so it's best to wait for them to cool a little, if you can!