6 recipes for National Pastry Day

Pumpkin pie:

2 cups cooked pumpkin, or 1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

3 whole eggs

2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

Pecan pie:

1 cup dark corn syrup

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1½ cups (6 ounces) pecans

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

To make pumpkin pie: In medium bowl, beat together all ingredients and pour into unbaked pie shell that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees (do not remove pie from oven); bake an additional 50 minutes or until almost set. Cool completely on wire rack.

To make pecan pie: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla using a spoon. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into pie shell that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake on center rack of oven for 60 to 70 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

To assemble: When pies are completely cool, very gently remove pecan pie from pie pan, using two spatulas, and place on a cake plate. Remove pumpkin pie from pie pan with spatulas, and place atop pecan pie. Slice into thin wedges and serve.

Whatever you call it, the world is agog at the Cronut, a deep-fried croissant-like doughnut. The originals are made in New York, but here’s an option for your own kitchen.

Once upon a month ago, a New York City bakery unleashed upon the world a New Thing. They called it a Cronut _ a deep-fried doughnut made with croissant dough, plumped with pastry cream, then glazed. The bakery also trademarked the name, betting that Cronut Fever would lead to all sorts of knockoffs passing through sugar-glazed lips.

Thus, we are calling our take on this delicacy the Crodo. Or maybe the Fauxnut. Or ... really, what’s in a name? Just don’t call them “gone.”

You’ll never have to, once you know how to make a version at home. And you can, thanks to a blogger in Britain, if you’re up to the challenge. They’re not difficult, but they are putzy. And you’ll be the coolest kid at the office/brunch/picnic/party when you prance in with a platter of ... whatever you want to call them. (Whoop Loops? _ because people may whoop.)

Edd Kimber, who blogs from London (theboywhobakes.co.uk), is no slouch around sugar. He won the BBC Two series “The Great British Bake Off” in 2010, and has a new cookbook, “Say It With Cake,” coming out in August. He wrote that he was intrigued when the Dominique Ansel Bakery (dominiqueansel.com) debuted the Cronut on May 10. Lines formed. Within days, scalpers were holding the pastries hostage for $20. $30? $40!

That’s partly because the bakery makes only 300 each day. Supply, meet demand.

On June 3, Kimber posted his version. “Since I won’t be in New York anytime soon,” he wrote, “I thought I would see if I could replicate them at home, and you know what? They are pretty damn good!”

He’s the first to say that he doesn’t use “proper croissant dough.” Instead, he tweaks recipes for quick puff pastry into a croissant dough that needs only 20 minutes of actual labor, and an overnight rest in the refrigerator. The results aren’t quite as tender or lofty as what comes from a truly laminated dough _ or what emerges from Monsieur Ansel’s bakery _ but for what the New York Times called a Frankenpastry, it’s good enough.

After converting Kimber’s recipe from metric, we tweaked a few things, making them a bit smaller (thus reducing the degree of indulgence), the pastry cream a bit creamier, and shifting the frosting to a glaze. We considered a garnish of ground-up Lipitor tablets, but decided that would send the wrong message.

Twin Cities residents already have some options for comparison-tasting, with more in the wings.

Angel Food Bakery and Coffee Bar in Minneapolis began selling their take on the craze a few weeks ago. Further experimentation led to a twisted knot that looks nothing like the original Cronut “because we decided to take the idea even one step further toward traditional French pastries,” said baker/owner Cynthia Gerdes. Cro-knots? They’re running a naming contest on their Facebook page, AngelFoodMN.

Gregory’s Foods in Eagan, Minn., which manufactures doughs, mixes and batters for local bakeries, quickly developed their take. They call it a (yawn) “croissant-cut donut,” knowing that individual bakeries will come up with their own names.

Mike Reineck, director of sales, said that interest is strong. “You hardly ever see a whole new category emerge,” he said, predicting that within the next few weeks, 250 bakeries in the metro area will be proofing and frying Gregory’s base dough, likely putting their own spin on it. “No one I’ve spoken to says, ‘Nah, we’re going to pass on this fad.’“

Be forewarned: The shelf life of these treats is comparable to a hummingbird’s wingbeat. This pastry wants to be consumed as soon as possible after frying, absolutely on the same day, which gives the home baker the freshness advantage. Some knockoffs omit the pastry cream, which helps them last a bit longer, and also forestalls the need to chill them should they not be served within a few hours.

None of the recipe’s steps is difficult, but there are several. The good news is that the dough and pastry cream need to be made the day before you plan to serve, which spreads out the work.

In the morning, roll out the dough, cut the doughnut shapes, let them rest until they begin to puff a bit, then fry them. Roll them while warm in a lemony sugar, then inject the pastry cream in four quick jabs. Drizzle with a lemon glaze, and serve them with a flourish.

When people ask, “What are these things?” there’s only one response: “You tell me.”

Yeast-Raised Doughnuts (like Krispy Kreme)

1 cup lukewarm milk (no warmer than 110 degrees)

1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons) active-dry yeast

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 ¾ cups (16 ounces) flour

½ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) softened butter, cut into 4 or 5 pieces

Canola oil for frying

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl, drizzle the yeast over the warm milk and stir to combine. Set the mixture aside for a few minutes to moisten the yeast.

Add the eggs and egg yolks to the milk mixture and gently beat to combine using the paddle attachment or a sturdy hand mixer. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until incorporated.

With the mixer running, add the flour, a spoonful at a time to incorporate, until three-fourths of the flour is added (if using a hand mixer, you may need to finish by hand as the dough may be too tough for the beaters). Add the salt and butter to the dough, mixing thoroughly to incorporate.

Add the remaining flour to the dough, gently but thoroughly beating to combine. The dough will be very soft and sticky, almost like a batter.

Grease a large bowl and place the dough inside. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1½ hours.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board and gently roll to a thickness of one-half inch. Using a donut cutter or 2 biscuit cutters (a larger one measuring 3 to 3½ inches in diameter, and a smaller one measuring about 1 inch in diameter), cut the dough into donuts, spacing the donuts as close as possible. Collect the scraps, quickly knead to combine and roll the dough as before, cutting additional donuts.

Place the donuts on a floured sheet of parchment paper set on a baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between each donut. Sprinkle a little flour over the tops of the donuts, then loosely cover with plastic wrap. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator overnight.

The next morning, remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator and set the donuts aside for about an hour to warm slightly. Meanwhile, fill a deep fryer with oil, or fill a large pot to a depth of at least 3 inches, and heat to a temperature of 375 degrees.

Gently place the donuts in the fryer, being careful not to crowd. Fry the donuts on each side until puffed and golden, about 1 minute on each side.

Drain the donuts on a rack and cool slightly, then frost and decorate as desired.

Makes 2 dozen donuts; per donut: 248 calories; 3 grams protein; 18 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 18 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 44 mg. cholesterol; 4 grams sugar; 60 mg. sodium.

Devil's Food Donuts

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

3 tablespoons butter

3 cups (12.75 ounces) flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

½ cup sugar

½ cup sour cream

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

½ cup strong coffee, cooled

Canola oil for frying

In a glass bowl or measuring cup, combine the bittersweet chocolate and butter. Microwave, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until the chocolate and butter have melted and are combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the eggs, egg yolks and sugar until lightened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla and melted chocolate.

Gently beat half of the flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, into the egg mixture, then beat in the coffee. Continue to beat in the rest of the flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, until all of the ingredients are combined and a sticky dough is formed.

On a well-floured surface, roll the dough into a round just over one-half inch in thickness. Using a donut cutter, or 2 biscuit cutters (a larger one measuring 3 to 3½ inches in diameter, and a smaller one measuring about 1 inch in diameter), cut the dough into donuts, spacing the donuts as close as possible. Collect the scraps and roll out to form another batch of donuts (note that this batch may be a little tougher than the first as the dough has been worked).

Fill a deep fryer with oil, or fill a large pot to a depth of at least 3 inches, and heat to a temperature of 350 degrees.

Gently place the donuts in the fryer, being careful not to crowd. Fry the donuts on each side until puffed and golden, about 4 minutes, flipping every 30 seconds or so.

Drain the donuts on a rack and cool slightly, then frost and decorate as desired.

Makes 1 dozen donut; per donut: 300 calories; 4 grams protein; 26 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 21 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 55 mg. cholesterol; 8 grams sugar; 168 mg. sodium.

This take on chicken pot pie is deliciously creamy and totally do-ahead. To get a jump on things, make the filling up to a day in advance and refrigerate. The cups can be filled a few hours before the party, then quickly popped in and out of the oven as needed (bake them a dozen or so at a time so you always have a fresh batch coming).

If you like, these miniature pot pies can be topped with a layer of puff pastry. To prepare the tops, thaw a sheet of prepared frozen puff pastry according to package directions. Use a 1-inch round cookie cutter to cut circles; then bake them on a baking sheet at 350 F for 15 minutes. Set one baked round over each fully baked pot pie just before serving.

Chicken Pot Pie Party Appetizers

3 packages (each package contains 15 cups) frozen phyllo cups

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

2 egg whites

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

¾ cup petite peas

1 carrot, finely grated

2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oven to 350 F. Arrange the phyllo cups over 1 rimmed baking sheet (or several baking sheets if you want to bake them in batches).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, egg whites, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. Add the peas, carrots and chicken, mixing well. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the filling into each cup; then sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 45 appetizers; per appetizer: 50 calories; 30 calories from fat (56 percent of total calories); 3 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 0 g fiber; 70 mg sodium.

- AP

Whoopie pies are an all-American baked good that looks like a puffed-up sandwich cookie but tastes more like a cupcake. Think cake with frosting that doesn’t get all over everything.

Whoopie pies trace their origins from both Pennsylvania, where they are sometimes called “gobs,” and Maine, where thousands attend an annual whoopie pie festival. Last year, Maine’s Legislature and the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau got in a lover’s spat over paternity of the treat. Eventually the Maine Legislature settled for naming the whoopie pie the official state treat.

Whoopie pies are easy to make and require very little in the way of equipment. A stand mixer is extremely helpful, although you can also use a hand-held mixer or a spoon. The shape of the cookies varies depending on the recipe and whether you choose to use a pastry bag, scoop or a specialty whoopie pie pan.

In 2010, Wilton, the cake pan and decorating supply company, teamed up with Sur La Table to offer a whoopie pie pan with traditional round indentions. The beauty of the nonstick pan is that it knocks the fussy pastry bag out of the equation.

Tips for making Whoopie Pies

Equipment

You will need a mixer (preferably a standing one), baking sheets, a 2-tablespoon scoop for 4-inch whoopies or a melon baller for 2-inch whoopies, parchment or waxed paper and an optional pastry bag.

Size doesn’t matter

A classic whoopie pie measures about 4 inches in diameter, but many bakeries are creating a bite-size treat. There are really no rules, says Amy Treadwell, co-author of “Whoopie Pies” (Chronicle Books).

Google “whoopie pies” and you might notice that some have domed tops while others are more flat. The consistency of the batter tends to determine the cosmetics, although whoopie pie pans do produce cakes with a more pronounced lip.

There are no rules on how much filling is stuck between the cakes. Spread it with a knife or use a fancy pastry bag.

Why shortening?

Resist the temptation to substitute butter in recipes that call for vegetable shortening. Crisco is a necessary ingredient for “lift, lightness and that classic rounded whoopie shape,” Treadwell says.

A sticky situation

Throughout the Northeast, whoopie pies are most often sold in individual cellophane packages, which can cause a “skin” to form on the plastic. “The outside layer of the cake often sticks to the plastic, but that’s part of the charm,” the authors write.

I made the mistake of stacking the cakes on top of one another after they had cooled, slightly marring the perfect tops. If you must stack your cakes, be sure to place parchment or waxed paper between the layers.

Make ahead

Assembled pies can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

The cakes can be frozen for up to a month, and most fillings hold up well under refrigeration for up to a week. Filled whoopie pies also may be frozen for an hour on a baking sheet, then individually wrapped and stored. They also will keep for up to a month.

— “Whoopie Pies” (Chronicle Books) by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped scallions

½ cup chopped green bell pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon salt

1 pound peeled, pre-cooked crawfish tails

Phyllo pastry mini-shells

Gruyere cheese

Cherry tomatoes, parsley for garnish

In olive oil, sauté chopped scallions, green bell pepper, minced garlic and parsley until the vegetables are tender. Season with cayenne pepper and salt. Add crawfish tails and mix thoroughly.

Use this to generously fill packaged phyllo pastry mini-shells and top with a small piece of gruyere cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with a slice of cherry tomato and a sprig of parsley.

Note: This easily makes 75 appetizers, which can be frozen and re-heated. The recipe can also be cut in half.