Mexican Pumpkin In Brown Sugar Food

MEXICAN PUMPKIN EMPANADAS (EMPANADAS DE CALABAZA)

Steps:

• Place pumpkin in a medium pan and add, piloncillo, cinnamon, and anise star (read note 1).
• Pour in water, cover the pan, and let gently simmer for 20 minutes while mixing one or two times.
• Remove the cinnamon stick and anise star. Add nutmeg and cinnamon powder.
• Using a potato masher, mash roughly the pumpkin.
• Keep cooking uncovered while stirring from time to time until you'll have a thick and dense mixture.
• Set aside and allow to mixture to reach room temperature.
• In a food processor place flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse two times to combine.
• Add butter and pulse a few times to form a crumbly mixture.
• Add egg yolk and cream, and pulse again until a clumpy dough forms (read note 2).
• Transfer the dough onto a floured and smooth surface and quickly knead it into a ball.
• Wrap the dough with cling film and place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat.
• Cut two squares about 6×6-inch (15x15cm) from a plastic bag.
• Mix about ½ cup of sugar and 1 ½ tablespoon of ground cinnamon on a deep plate.
• Make an egg wash whisking together the milk and egg in a small bowl.
• Last, preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C).
• Remove the dough from the fridge, divide it into 14 pieces and then flour your hands and roll each piece into a ball.
• Place a dough ball on one of the plastic squares, cover with the other and slightly press with your hand to make a small patty.
• Using a heavy dish, press the dough to form a flat disc (read note 3).
• Peel the top square gently, then add some pumpkin filling in the middle of the disc.
• Fold over to make a half-moon and press the borders to seal well the empanada.
• Gently place the empanada on one hand and peel the last plastic.
• Take the edge and carefully twist it to make the braided edge (read note 4).
• Place the empanada on a baking sheet and repeat the steps with all dough and filling.
• Brush all empanadas de calabaza with the egg wash and make some small holes on the top with a toothpick.
• Bake between 20 and 25 minutes or until the pastries are slightly browned on all sides.
• As soon as empanadas are out of the oven, coat them in the sugar and cinnamon mixture carefully.
• You can now eat them while they're still warm or place them in a cooling rack and store them for later.

MEXICAN PUMPKIN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk the flour, 1/3 cup of sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and baking powder together. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs; stir the water in, about 2 tablespoons at a time, just until you can gather the dough together. Knead the dough a few times in the bowl, then scrape it out onto a floured surface. Cut the dough in quarters, and cut each quarter into thirds to make 12 equal portions. Roll the portions into balls. Cover the dough balls with a cloth, and allow to rest while you make the filling.
• Mix the pumpkin, 2 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together until smooth. On a floured surface, roll each dough ball out into a thin circle about 6 inches across; spoon about 1/3 cup of filling into the center of the dough circle. Fold the dough over the filling to make a half-moon shaped pie, and crimp the edges of the crust together with a fork, leaving little fork lines in the dough. Gently lay the empanadas onto the prepared baking sheets. Brush the top of each pie with beaten egg.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the filling is hot and the crusts are shiny and browned, about 20 minutes.

PUMPKIN COOKED IN RAW SUGAR

Steps:

• Pierce the shell-like outer rind of the pumpkin in several places to enable the syrup to penetrate the flesh and cut into pieces about 3 inches (8 cm) square, leaving the fibrous flesh and seeds inside.
• In a wide, heavy saucepan put enough water to completely cover the pumpkin. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil. Add the pieces of pumpkin and guavas and cook over fairly high heat, moving the pieces around from time to time to avoid sticking. Cover the pan and cook for about 15 minutes, then remove the lid and continue cooking until the syrup has reduced and the flesh of the pumpkin is a rich brown.

DULCES DE CALABASAS (MEXICAN PUMPKIN CANDY)

Steps:

• Cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds and as much of the "stringy stuff" as you can, and chop into pieces approximately 1-1.5 inches by 1.5-2.5 inches.
• Slice off skin, taking off as little flesh as you can.
• Measure to make sure you have approximately one quart of pumpkin pieces (either pack well into a measuring cup or fill a calibrated 1/2 gallon or 1 gallon measure to the quart line and drop in pieces until water hits the 1/2 gallon line, then drain water.).
• Put in a fairly heavy saucepan and cover with water.
• Cover, bring to a boil, and boil for 15-20 minutes.
• Drain, but save water, and place pumpkin back in pan.
• Measure water to make sure you have about 1 1/2 cups.
• Stir in packed brown sugar until smooth. Add cloves and/or cinnamon at this point, if desired.
• Pour the sugar/water syrup over the pumpkin, cover, return to a boil, and boil another 15 minutes.
• Turn off heat and let sit overnight (at least 8 hours.) This is how the pumpkin soaks up the syrup and "candies".
• In the morning (or after the 8-10 hours), return to a boil, and boil an additional 5 minutes.
• Remove from syrup with a slotted spoon and place on a tray or cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.
• Allow to dry at least 10-12 hours in a place where it will not be disturbed (if you're not going to be using the oven and haven't had it on recently, the cold oven is a great place to keep it safe.).
• Roll in granulated sugar and enjoy! Place in air-tight container to store up to two weeks.

ROASTED PUMPKIN WITH BROWN SUGAR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Cut pumpkin into pieces and remove skin. Cut away seeds and fibrous tissue; discard. Rub oil onto pumpkin pieces, followed by brown sugar. Place onto a baking sheet.
• Roast in the preheated oven until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.