The pumpkin spice craze
Okay, it is officially Fall and the weather in the UK has certainly fallen in line. I even had to turn the heating up in my flat this week!. Of course, for most “basic” American Millenials, fall means its time for pumpkin flavoured everything! Pumpkin fans everywhere avidly await this season each year for the spiced drinks, delicious eats and pumpkin-themed home decor.
As Lagusta Yearwood eloquently statedin her 2012 Guardian article, in North America pumpkin ” is an idea, symbol and seasonal icon.” From pumpkin pie, themed beverages and home decor the pumpkin has become ubiquitous with autumn in the United States.
A bit on pumpkin history
Squash were considered one of the “three sisters” or staple crops for Native Americans. So it is no surprise that squash features heavily in original “American” dishes inspired by the generosity and sharing of the Native Americans (i.e. the first Thanksgiving). Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that American settlers may have made pumpkin or squash pies as early as 1620. However, these early pies would not have resembled our Thanksgiving classic and it wasn’t until the 1950s when “pumpkin pie spice” was marketed by spice companies.
Since then, the delicious spice mix has been a favourite around the holiday season, but more recently, pumpkin spice has been on the up and up! Its success can be broken down to media coverage, clever marketing and nostalgia (according to Kanthe Shelke, a food scientist and spokesperson for the Institute of Food Technologists.)
So why hasn’t pumpkin been able to plant the same fruitful roots in the United Kingdom?
Well, even though I have to order my canned pumpkin puree online, the autumnal flavour is slowly but surely permeating its way into the mugs of Brits. The infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte (or PSL as we lovingly like to call it) made its way across the Atlantic in 2012 and has been replicated by various other high street coffee chains as well.
Where madeleine meets pumpkin
Of course, being the basic American girl I am, I had to contribute to this trend when I made these pumpkin madeleines. Furthermore, I have to admit that these were almost single-handedly inspired by Starbucks for two reasons. 1. When I used to go to Starbucks growing up I used to always get their prepackaged madeleine cookies (I know super authentic… *insert eye-roll here*). and 2. I thoroughly enjoy all of their PSL iterations (frappuccinos, lattes, baked goods etc.). Whilst Starbucks shouldn’t be the holy grail for all good eats, I’ll give credit where it’s due for this idea. What I ended up with was a delicious and vegan fluffy french cake with hints of pumpkin, spice and maple and were a perfect autumnal eat.
pumpkin madeleines w/ maple glaze
Ingredients
Madeleines
- 250 grams plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinammon
- ¼ tsp ginger
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 230 grams dairy-free butter or coconut oil melted
- 150 grams sugar
- 250 grams pumpkin puree
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- 30 ml non-dairy milk
Glaze and decoration
- 250 grams powdered sugar
- 50 ml maple syrup
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- 15 to 30 ml non-dairy milk
- 50 grams walnut chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Melt the butter and set aside to cool as you prepare the rest of the batter.
- In a large bowl whisk the dry ingredients until combined.
- In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on whisk together the sugar, pumpkin purree, vanilla extract or paste and non dairy milk. Beat on medium to high speed for a few minutes until the mixture turns pale and the consistency looks smooth and viscose.
- Change to the mixer's attachment to a paddle attachment or alternatively using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently add the dry ingredients to the wet and incorporate slowly being sure not to overmix.
- Slowly pour in half of the butter and mix to incorporate. Then stir in the other half.
- Cover the batter and chill in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 177°C (350 °F) and lightly coat your madeleine pan with vegan butter or oil.
- After chill time has passed, spoon the batter into mould (about 1 1½-2 tablespoons) each.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown, the centre has puffed out and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for ten minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Before making the next batch, ensure your pan is cold and greased properly.
Walnut & Maple Glaze
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients (but slowly add in the milk only to loosen slightly so that the glaze drips easily from a spoon).
- Dip the cooled madeleine in the glaze and then dip into walnut mixture or drizzle glaze as you see fit.
