Mini pumpkin pies with a filo crust

Beat the softened cream cheese with the sugar, the spices, the butter and the vanilla extract on low speed, raising the speed as it combines, until smooth.

Add the pumpkin, scrape the sides down and mix until combined.

Separate the eggs and add only the yolks; mix until incorporated.

Pour in the room temperature milk, scrape the bowl down and mix until the filling is smooth.

Work one sheet of filo at a time: brush melted butter all over it, sprinkle about a tablespoon of granulated sugar and dust cinnamon over it, and stack to six sheets. The sixth sheet gets only butter, because it becomes the bottom of the pie.

Cut each finished stack into 12 four-inch squares, measuring so they are even.

Brush melted butter into each muffin cup and nestle a filo square into it, butter side down; make the second stack the same way.

Wrap and refrigerate the leftover filo sheets so they do not dry out.

Fill each filo cup to the top with the pumpkin filling using an ice cream scoop; bake any leftover filling in a ramekin alongside.

At this point the trays can go into the freezer, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap once frozen, and keep at least two weeks.

Bake at 350F on a baking tray until the filo is golden brown all around and the centre is set; hers took exactly 40 minutes.

Cool in the muffin tins 15 to 20 minutes so they hold their shape, then lift them out with an offset spatula onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Chill in the refrigerator overnight, then pipe homemade whipped cream on top to serve.