Pumpkin Seed Candy Food

PUMPKIN-SEED CANDY

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pepitas; toast, stirring constantly until seeds pop and become slightly golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Place sugar and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, about 3 minutes. Add pepitas, and continue cooking until temperature registers 285 degrees on a candy thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in cold butter.
• Let the mixture cool to 240 degrees, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, brush the inside of fifteen 1-inch-diameter black paper cups with melted butter, reserving 1 tablespoon. Spoon a scant tablespoon of the honey mixture into each cup. Brush a clean work surface with the remaining butter, and spoon the remaining honey mixture on it so mixture will continue to cool.
• When remaining candy is stiff and cool enough to handle, about 6 minutes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces with a greased knife. Put one piece of candy in center of each of fifteen 4-by-4-inch pieces of orange cellophane wrap, gather cellophane at the top, and secure with a twist of a 4 1/2-inch piece of floral wire. Wrap the ends of floral wire around a skewer to form tendrils.

CANDIED PUMPKIN SEEDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Spread into a greased foil-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. , Bake, uncovered, until seeds are well-glazed, 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool completely; break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

CANDIED PUMPKIN SEEDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk brown sugar, water, salt, molasses, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg together in a medium mixing bowl. Add pumpkin seeds and toss until evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake until crispy, stirring halfway through, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir, then carefully slide or lift the parchment paper off the baking sheet and set on the counter to cool completely. Break up any clumps with your hands and serve.

PUMPKIN SEED CANDY

Steps:

• Line 13x9-inch baking dish with parchment or wax paper; set aside. Cook pumpkin seeds in heavy skillet on medium-low heat 3 to 5 min. or until seeds pop and begin to turn brown, shaking skillet occasionally to stir the seeds. Cool. Place in food processor container or large mortar. Add sesame seed; pulse until pumpkin seeds are broken but not ground. Set aside.
• Mix piloncillo and water in large heavy saucepan. Bring to boil on medium heat; cook until piloncillo is completely dissolved, stirring frequently. Continue cooking, without stirring, until temperature reaches 245°F on candy thermometer or until a small amount dropped into very cold water forms a firm, but pliable, ball.
• Add pumpkin seed mixture; mix well. Immediately pour into prepared baking dish. Cool completely. Cut into 48 pieces.

PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
• Combine sugar, water, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until sugar has dissolved and turned a golden brown color. Immediately add pumpkin seeds and mix well to coat with the caramelized sugar.
• Spread the very hot pumpkin seed mix thinly onto the prepared baking sheet. Let cool to room temperature. Break or cut into bite-sized pieces. Store in an airtight container in a cool place or in the refrigerator.

PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Put a 24- by 12-inch sheet of parchment on a work surface and anchor corners with pieces of tape. Bring sugar, water, and sea salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cook mixture, without stirring, washing down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until syrup registers 238°F (soft-ball stage) on thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes (sugar syrup will be colorless). Remove from heat and stir in seeds with a wooden spoon, then continue stirring until syrup crystallizes, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Return pan to moderate heat and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar melts completely (sugar will continue to dry and become grainy before melting) and turns a deep caramel color, 4 to 5 minutes more (seeds will be toasted). Carefully pour hot caramel mixture onto parchment and carefully cover with another sheet. Immediately roll out (between sheets of parchment) as thinly as possible with a rolling pin, pressing firmly. Remove top sheet of parchment and immediately cut brittle into pieces with a heavy knife or pizza wheel. Cool brittle completely, then peel paper from bottom. (Alternately, break brittle into pieces once cool.)

PUMPKIN SEED CANDY

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add pepitas; toast, stirring constantly until seeds pop and become slightly golden, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Place sugar and honey in a small saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, about 3 minutes.
• Add pepitas, and continue cooking until temperature registers 285° on a candy thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and stir in cold butter.
• Let the mixture cool to 240°, about 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, brush the inside of fifteen 1-inch-diameter black paper cups with melted butter, reserving 1 tablespoon.
• Spoon a scant tablespoon of the honey mixture into each cup.
• Brush a clean work surface with the remaining butter, and spoon the remaining honey mixture on it so mixture will continue to cool.
• When remaining candy is stiff and cool enough to handle, about 6 minutes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces with a greased knife.
• Wrap in cellophane.

DRUNKEN PUMPKIN SEEDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
• Stir pumpkin seeds, whiskey, bacon drippings, brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons salt together in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until the seeds begin to turn gray in the middle, 15 to 20 minutes; drain.
• Spread the drained seeds onto a baking sheet in a single layer; season with salt.
• Roast the pumpkin seeds in preheated oven until crisp and golden brown, 60 to 90 minutes.

PUMPKIN CANDY

Steps:

• Peel and seed pumpkin and cut into 2x4-inch strips.
• Put strips into bowl just big enough to hold them.
• Stir baking soda into enough water to cover strips. Pour over strips and let stand 12 hours.
• Drain and rinse strips in running water.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop strips into water. Cook until tender but not soft.
• Remove strips and crisp in ice cold water. Drain.
• Juice lemon and cut zest into strips.
• Combine sugar, lemon juice, zest, cilantro and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, then boil slowly without stirring for 10 minutes.
• Add pumpkin strips, cover pot, and simmer for 20 minutes, until syrup is thick and strips are brittle.
• Spread candy on wax paper and let dry for 10 hours.
• Store pieces in an airtight container.

PUMPKIN SEED TOFFEE

Steps:

• Grease a 15x10x1-in. pan with 1 teaspoons butter; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, melt the remaining butter. Stir in the sugar, water, corn syrup, pie spice and salt. Cook, stirring continuously, over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage)., Remove from the heat; stir in pumpkin seeds. Immediately pour into prepared pan. Let stand at room temperature until cool, about 1 hour. Break or cut into bite-sized pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Spray a parchment-lined baking sheet with nonstick spray; set aside. Bring sugar, corn syrup, and 3 tablespoons water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Fit saucepan with thermometer and cook until thermometer registers 290°F, 3-4 minutes.
• Stir in pumpkin seeds, butter, and kosher salt and cook, stirring often, until pale brown and thermometer registers 305°F, 3-4 minutes.
• Stir in baking soda and cinnamon (mixture will bubble vigorously), then immediately pour caramel onto prepared sheet. Using a heatproof spatula, quickly spread out and sprinkle with sea salt; let cool. Break brittle into pieces.
• DO AHEAD: Brittle can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight, layered between sheets of parchment paper, at room temperature.

CRISPY, CRUNCHY PUMPKIN SEEDS

Steps:

• Separate seeds from pulp and rinse under warm water. Pick out remaining pulp. Shake off excess water, place on a towel, and roll up. Let dry in a warm location for 2 to 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil.
• Mix dry pumpkin seeds and melted butter together in a bowl. Sprinkle on garlic salt, onion salt, and paprika. Spread on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and crisp, stirring halfway through, about 45 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container, but they taste amazing warm, too.