A Poem to Pumpkin

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Pumpkin

Some might say that Pumpkin baked goods borders on an obsession for me, and they would not be wrong. 

I love all components that marry to make a very good pumpkin-baked item. You have the spices: 


Pumpkin Spice

3 tbsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves


To the texture that Pumpkin lends. The soft pillowy texture, if done correctly. Not overmixed and not too much water in the pumpkin. This is where I've thrown myself and a lot of pumpkin poundage into the perfect pumpkin process. 


Canned vs Fresh Pumpkin

CANNED: If you are going canned pumpkin, there is zero judgment here. Just make sure you use Libby's. I've tried knockoff brands, like Western Family, Libby's by far produce the best texture and pumpkin flavor in a cookie, cake, or bread. 

FRESH: If you choose to use fresh pumpkin, good on you! BUT there are a few things you need to know. 

  • Type of pumpkin: Libby's uses the Dickenson variety of pumpkin. Which in reality is a squash. It's large and creamy outside color and is both a sun and water hog. After planting these seeds in four different areas in my yard, over four years, I finally found the perfect location and watered them nearly every day in the warm parts of June, July, and August. I also started them in a mini greenhouse in late April to give them a jump start. If you want to try planting your own. I purchased my seeds from The Sustainable Seed Company. 
There are other pumpkins you can use such as sugar pumpkins, Kabocha, Hubbard Squash and others, but the Dickenson pumpkin still by far my favorite flavor/texture. 

  • YOU GREW A PUMPKIN! Yay! You grew a pumpkin to eat! Well, most likely more than one. Congratulations! Now what? It's roasting time! For full details on getting that done, click here. 
  • Water in the Pumpkins: Remember the part about pumpkin being water hogs? That all went inside the pumpkins. The roasting will draw out a lot of moisture, but more is needed. I tried many different ways, but this one seems to be the best. 
    • Once the pumpkins have cooled enough, separate them from the pumpkin skin with a large spoon.
    • Place a large colander over a large bowl. Place a linen (preferably one that doesn't shed lint) in the colander. 
    • Put skinless pumpkin chunks in the bowl. 
    • Once you are done, draw linen up over the pumpkin and push down gently to squish out liquid. Do this a few times. Empty the liquid from the bottom bowl. 
    • Now it's time to let gravity and time work its magic. Place a large heavy plate on top of the linen-wrapped pumpkin and put the whole thing in the fridge overnight. 
    • The next morning. Drain the liquid and it's time to make puree.
  • Puree Process: Now I love to throw anything in my blender, but for this job, it's not the tool that will make the best-textured puree. Since you just spend all that time getting the water out, it will stick and you're going to get frustrated. This is where your food processor is your best friend. I even tried the emulsion blender, and I've gone back to my food processor each time. 
  • Storage: I use the quart freezer bags for my puree. When I want to make something I can either put it in the fridge to thaw (2 days lead time) or in a bowl of warm water. For full details on how to fill the bags without destroying your kitchen, check that out here. 
  • After Freezing Moisture: More liquid! I told you these little guys were water hogs! Once your pumpkin has thawed, the puree may still seem a bit liquidy. I have a solution for that too! Grab a cookie sheet and put a few layers of paper towels on the bottom. At least three layers. Pour, squish, and schmear the pumpkin on the paper towels. Grab another set (at least 3 layers) of paper towels and place them on top of the pumpkin. If the top paper towels come away quickly soaked, grab another set and repeat the top one more time. Now you're ready to add it to a recipe!
  • Cold Pumpkin: Make sure your pumpkin puree has come to room temperature just like you would your eggs. Adding freezing pumpkin to a recipe can throw off the texture, baking time, etc. 

 

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