Pecan Pumpkin Roll in Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• powdered sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecan

Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 8 oz. softened cream cheese
• 6 Tbsp softened butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. PREHEAT oven to 375 F.
2.  Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan and  line with wax paper.
3.  Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.
4. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl. 

5. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thickened.  Slowly mix in pumpkin puree. Stir in flour mixture and spread evenly into the lined jelly-roll pan. Sprinkle with top with pecans.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately turn cake onto prepared powdered towel. Carefully peel off wax paper and slowly roll up cake and towel together. Cool on wire rack and set aside.

7. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.

8. Unroll pumpkin cake and remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake and re-roll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Slice and serve.

Brazo de Mercedes

A favorite holiday dessert at home! Trial run for the upcoming Christmas festivities...

Ingredients:

- 12 eggs - white and yolks separated

- 1 cup of sugar

- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

- 2 Tbsp vanilla extract

- 1/2 tsp almond extract

- 1 small can condensed milk

- powdered sugar

Instructions-

Meringue:

• Preheat oven at 370 F
• Line a jelly-roll pan or large cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with grease
• Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, while gradually adding sugar.  Mix until soft stiff peaks are attained.
• Spread egg whites on pan evenly.  Use toothed edge to comb surface of egg whites.

Filling:

• In low heat, pour condensed milk, egg yolks, and vanilla extract.  Mix briskly until it thickens.  Do not let mixture settle in heat, or it will curdle.
• Once thickened, set aside to cool

Remove meringue from oven and set aside to cool.  Once cooled, dust surface with powdered sugar.  Place a new sheet of wax paper on top of meringue surface.  Turn upside down so bottom surface of meringue is on top.  

Spread filling on the surface.  Take one end of the wax paper to roll one egde of the meringue in, until all the meringue is completely rolled in.  Leave roll in the wax paper and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Once chilled, slice and serve.