Pumpkin Roll Wins Blue Ribbon

Dear SOS: There was a blue-ribbon winning cake in the cake division at the Los Angeles County Fair that looked fabulous--more fabulous than most. It was rolled and filled and had nuts on it. It was entered by Kim Kautzer.

--JOANNE

Dear Joanne: We contacted Kim Kautzer of Alta Loma and asked if she would mind sharing the recipe with readers of this column. She was delighted to do so. Kautzer said the recipe is not original (it came from a friend), but it draws raves every time it is served. BLUE-RIBBON PUMPKIN ROLL

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Filling

Beat eggs at high speed 5 minutes. Slowly beat in sugar. Stir in pumpkin. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Fold into pumpkin mixture.

Grease and flour paper-lined 15x10-inch jellyroll pan. Spread mixture evenly in pan and sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 375 degrees 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully loosen edges and turn out onto clean towel. Beginning at narrow end, roll up cake. Cool, unroll, fill with Cream Cheese Filling and re-roll. Slice to serve. Makes 1 (10-inch) pumpkin roll. Cream Cheese Filling

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

Beat together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and sugar until fluffy.

Dear SOS: In the fall of 1981, the Los Angeles Times Food Section printed the Pillsbury Bake-Off award-winning recipes. My favorite recipe was called Mushroom Piroshkies, and I have lost it. I want to make them as soon as possible and freeze them for the coming holidays. Can you help?

--GRACE

Dear Grace: What a good idea. It happens we do still have the recipe. MUSHROOM PIROSHKIE APPETIZERS (Marcia L. Gallner, Omaha, Neb.)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 (8-ounce) package mushrooms, finely chopped

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 hard-cooked egg yolk, chopped

Pastry

In medium skillet, saute onion in butter just until tender. Add mushrooms and saute 3 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper and egg yolk. Cool.

Prepare pastry. Divide pastry in half. Roll half lightly on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into rounds with 3-inch cookie cutter. Spoon about 1 teaspoon filling onto half of each circle.

Moisten edges of pastry with water. Fold over half of each circle and press edges with fork. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve hot. Makes 40 piroshkies.

Note: Piroshkies can be frozen on baking sheets before baking, then placed in plastic bags. Bake at 400 degrees 15 to 18 minutes. Pastry

1 (11-ounce) package pie crust mix or 1 (11-ounce) package pie crust sticks, crumbled

1/2 cup sour cream

Combine pie crust mix and sour cream. Mix until ball forms.

Dear SOS: I would like to make candy truffles for the coming holiday season. These candies are rolled in nuts, cocoa or chocolate sprinkles. I would like a recipe for dark chocolate centers.

--ELEANOR

Dear Eleanor: You can use any chocolate to make truffles and coat them as you desire. CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup unsifted powdered sugar

1 (4-ounce) package dark, bittersweet cooking chocolate, grated

1 tablespoon rum, optional

1/2 cup flake coconut, optional

Grated chocolate, chocolate sprinkles or ground nuts

Cream butter, then blend in egg yolk. Gradually add powdered sugar, blending well. Add cooking chocolate, rum and coconut. Mix well. Shape into 1/2-inch balls and roll in chocolate, chocolate sprinkles or ground nuts. Place on wax paper and chill several hours. Makes 24 candies.