Suggestion for pumpkin lasagna filling (dessert)

Hi all,
I hope the season finds you well. We are doing great here and are looking forward to spending turkey day with our kids and grandkids. (All of them, actually. ) One of my contributions will be a dessert similar to chocolate lasagna which has been wildly popular among kids and grandkids. But I'd like to not wear it out and to do something a little more in like with the holiday, so I'm planning to duplicate it (more or less) but focused on pumpkin pie filling instead of chocolate pudding. Here's my plan, layer by layer

[list=]
[*]vanilla wafer for crust (instead of crushed Oreos.)
[*]mixed cream cheese + sugar + Coolwhip (I double this layer.)
[*]some variation of pumpkin pie filling (*)
[*]more Coolwhip with vanilla flavored white chocolate "melting wafers" (**)
[/list]

(*) I plan to process canned pumpkin as described here https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advic ... ue-article. I'm interested in suggestions for further additions to this layer. The original recipe calls for 2 packages of instant chocolate pudding. Should I mix pumpkin with some instant vanilla pudding? Something else? I'll need to layer it cold (maybe warm) but could cook and cool if necessary.

(**) The only complaint I've had with chocolate lasagna is that I just scatter some chocolate chips on top and Daughter-in-law would prefer a solid layer as in the pictures that accompany the recipes. I serve with chocolate chips on the side for those that prefer this.

Thanks!

edit: list directives seem not to be working. Did I do them wrong?

HI,

I have seen pumpkin spice instant pudding. I bought some when deeply discounted, it satisfied the itch for pumpkin pie. Vanilla would certainly work, though perhaps butterscotch would blend in better and add some complimentary flavors to the pumpkin.

I will be curious how your family reacts to this variant. When I do variations on a theme, I find my family would rather have the original. I still fiddle with recipes knowing I might be rejected.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Regards,
Cathy2

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check out the pudding section at Caputos and see what is available. I may try a couple because I plan to do a trial run before the big day. 1) Never experiment on company. (almost never. ) and 2) Cindy (wife) thinks a trial run is a good idea.

I will let you know how it is received. The grandkids (age 4-10) are terrifically honest when it comes to stuff like feedback on the food I prepare for them.

Interesting, but it sounds more like a pumpkin tiramisu than a lasagna (and I'd use ginger snaps, not nilla wafers).

Don't take that as a criticism, I'm not sure noodles work here... but now I'm thinking about pumpkin kugel, which definitely would work.

Thanks for the suggestion. No criticism inferred! Ginger snaps are an interesting idea. I remember when our kids were little, I used to buy ginger snaps because the kids wouldn't eat them all up. But it could work for a crust.

I'm looking up both pumpkin tiramisu and pumpkin kugel.

What I did: I made 2 crusts, one with vanilla wafer crumbs and another with ginger snap crumbs. Each crust went into it's own plastic container. I made a single cream cheese/sugar/milk/Cool Whip layer for both. Then I made two pumpkin fillings, one with a mix of vanilla pudding and the other with butterscotch pudding. Each container got half of each filling so we could evaluate both with the two crusts. There was not sufficient space under the lids to put the final layer (Cool Whip) on so I just put a dab on when I serve.

What we found: The butterscotch pudding did not overwhelm the pumpkin flavor. Neither did the vanilla pudding. Both combinations had good pumpkin flavor. We preferred the ginger snap crust.

What I'll do: I'll use the ginger snap crust for turkey day and the pumpkin filling will use one package of vanilla and one of butterscotch with the pumpkin pie filling. It may not please those addicted to chocolate (*) but I think it will fly with the grandkids and their parents.

(*) I still have the option to sprinkle chocolate chips over the top layer if I choose. I'm not sure if I want to.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

Followup: I used Ginger snaps to make the crust (and backfilled with a little vanilla wafer since I didn't have quite enough.) I replaced chocolate pudding with 1 pkg vanilla and 1 pkg butterscotch pudding with a bit less than one large can of pumpkin pie filling and spiced with ground cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Space constraints in the chosen container precluded application of the last Coolwhip layer so I dabbed some on as I served and provided the option to add white chocolate or butterscotch chips.

It was as well received as the original chocolate lasagna recipe with some preferring the original and others, the pumpkin spice variation. No one chose not to have some and no one complained that there was no pumpkin pie.

I'm happy with the results.

HankB wrote:Followup: I used Ginger snaps to make the crust (and backfilled with a little vanilla wafer since I didn't have quite enough.) I replaced chocolate pudding with 1 pkg vanilla and 1 pkg butterscotch pudding with a bit less than one large can of pumpkin pie filling and spiced with ground cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Space constraints in the chosen container precluded application of the last Coolwhip layer so I dabbed some on as I served and provided the option to add white chocolate or butterscotch chips.

It was as well received as the original chocolate lasagna recipe with some preferring the original and others, the pumpkin spice variation. No one chose not to have some and no one complained that there was no pumpkin pie.

I'm happy with the results.

I appreciate your sharing this with us. Did you get any photos?

This brought to mind my idea to create a sweet pumpkin kugel.
At Thanksgiving time, you can find pumpkin coffee creamer and I am imagining this could add body to the taste (to my kugel, not a lasagne).
/Subscribe