Spooktacular Pumpkin Cream Puffs for Halloween!

Get ready to impress your guests this spooky season with these adorable Jack-O'-Lantern Cream Puffs! Filled with a luscious orange-tinted salted caramel cream and topped with a swirl of green cream to mimic the pumpkin’s stem and leaf, these festive pastries are as delicious as they are eye-catching. Each puff is finished with a sprinkle of Halloween-themed sprinkles for that extra pop of fun. Perfect for Halloween parties, fall gatherings, or a special autumn dessert, these pumpkin-shaped cream puffs combine light, airy choux pastry with the rich, cozy flavors of caramel, it’s a match made in Halloween heaven!

Ingredients:
For Craquelin (Hard Shell)
- 50 g Butter
- 50 g Icing sugar
- 80 g Cake flour (low-protein flour)

For Choux Pastry
- 60 ml Milk
- 100 ml Water
- 70 g butter
- 100 g Soft flour
- 220 g Eggs (room temperature)

For Salted Caramel Buttercream
- 150 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 250 g icing sugar (sifted)
- Salted Caramel Flavoring Extract (a few drops)
- Oil-Based Food Color Orange (a few drops)

For Green Stem & Leaf Buttercream
- 50 g unsalted butter, softened
- 80 g icing sugar (sifted)
- 1 tbsp milk
- Oil-Based Food Color Green (a few drops)

For Decoration
- Spooky Monster Sprinkle Mix
- Golden Harvest Sprinkle Mix

Instructions:
Step 1: Make the Craquelin (Hard Shell)
1. In a bowl, cream together the butter and icing sugar until smooth. Add a few drops of Orange Food Coloring at this stage and mix until the color is evenly blended.
2. Add in the soft flour and mix until a dough forms.
3. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper until 2–3 mm thick.
4. Cut out 5 cm round discs and place on a tray.
5. Chill in the refrigerator until firm.

Step 2: Prepare the Choux Pastry
1. In a saucepan, combine the milk, water, and butter. Heat over low heat until the butter melts.
2. Increase heat to medium and bring to a gentle boil.
3. Turn off the heat, then add cake flour all at once. Stir quickly until no flour streaks remain.
4. Allow to cool slightly until warm but not hot to touch.
5. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each, until the batter is smooth and forms a V shape when lifted with a spatula.

Step 3: Shape & Bake
1. Preheat oven to 190 °C (374 °F).
2. Transfer the choux batter into a Piping Bag fitted with a round tip.
3. Pipe 5 cm rounds onto a baking mat or lined tray.
4. Place a chilled craquelin disc on top of each piped choux.
5. Bake for 15 minutes at 190 °C, then reduce temperature to 170 °C and bake for another 15 minutes.
6. Turn off the oven and leave puffs inside for 3 minutes to prevent collapse.
7. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 4: Make the Salted Caramel Buttercream
1. Beat softened butter for 3–4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
2. Gradually add icing sugar, mixing on low until combined.
3. Add Salted Caramel sauce and mix until smooth.
4. Add Oil-Based Orange Food Color and mix until evenly colored.
5. Transfer to a piping bag.

Step 5: Make the Green Buttercream
1. Beat softened butter for 3 minutes until creamy.
2. Add icing sugar and milk, mixing until smooth.
3. Tint with Oil-Based Green Food Color.
4. Transfer to a piping bag.

Step 6: Assemble
1. Slice the top off each cream puff.
2. Pipe orange salted caramel buttercream generously into the center.
3. Replace the top, then pipe green buttercream to form the stem and leaf.
4. Sprinkle with Spooky Monster Sprinkle Mix and Golden Harvest Sprinkle Mix.