Penzey's Pumpkin Puffs

--Tasty Dish-- received her Penzey's Holiday/Winter 2010 catalog in the mail yesterday and this puff recipe was printed in it. Note: the original recipe calls for fresh pumpkin but I had a partial can of Libby's 100% pure pumpkin puree to use up and this was the perfect recipe for --Tasty-- and me to prepare on a snowed-in day! For a twist, try English mixed spice in place of pumpkin pie spice.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Yields: 60 puffs

Ingredients

• 4  cups  fresh sugar pie pumpkin, cubed and peeled (approximately 1/2 of a small sugar pumpkin or 4 cups canned pumpkin puree (unflavored)
• 1⁄2-1  cup unbleached white flour
• 1⁄3-1⁄2 cup brown sugar, to taste
• 1  egg yolk
• 1 -2  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2-1  teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (make your own! See Recipe #184985 or Recipe #266688) or 1⁄2-1  teaspoon English pudding, spice (make your own! See Exceptional Pumpkin Pie Spice or Mixed Spice - Traditional Old Fashioned English Pudding Spice)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
•  vegetable oil (original recipe specifies 1 cup)
•  powdered sugar
•  maple syrup (optional)

Directions

1. If using fresh pumpkin the original recipe states: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the pumpkin and cook until it is fork tender, approximately 15 minutes. Drain well and cooled. However, if I were to make this with fresh pumpkin, my first choice would be to bake the pumpkin, followed by steaming. Boiling would be a last resort.
2. Place the cooked and cooled fresh pumpkin or the canned pumpkin in a large mixing bowl. If using fresh pumpkin, mash with a potato masher, immersion blender or electric mixer.
3. Add 1/2 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, egg yolk, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix well.
4. If the mixture is too liquid-y, add more flour.
5. Taste for sweetness and add more brown sugar if necessary.
6. Refrigerate 30-45 minutes. Do not skip this step.
7. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a sauce pan (original recipe specifies a frying pan). Note: I never use as much oil as a recipe calls for with deep frying-perhaps 1/2 cup at most. Place a paper towel on a plate.
8. For small puffs, drop the mix by greased teaspoon into the pan (or greased tablespoon if you want larger puffs). Tip: Grease the utensil on both sides. *Don't* crowd the pan with too many puffs at one time.
9. Cook on both sides until golden, about 2 minutes for the smaller puffs, and 3-4 minutes for the larger.
10. Once cooked, use a slotted spoon and place puffs on the paper towel-lined plate to drain off the excess oil.
11. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with powdered sugar. If desired, drizzle puffs with a little bit of real maple syrup.