Seasonal Baking

Brian first introduced me to this concept to this the first time I went and visited him in Miami for what turned out to be our first Thanksgiving; but he makes his own pumpkin purée for baking and cooking throughout the year.  At first I was surprised that someone would go through the trouble to bake and purée their own pumpkins rather than just buy it off of the shelf.  I mean....there can't be THAT much of a different....can there??  But he was adamant that there really is a BIG difference in the taste between canned pumpkin and making your own.

First, you have to pick a baking pumping. which is different than the one which you would carve.  Carving ones are bigger in general, have thinner walls, and do not have that signature pumpkin sweet taste, whereas baking pumpkins have more meat (thicker wall), are smaller, and are sweeter.

  

After picking your baking pumpkin, you split them in half.  We recommend cutting them up and down as they sit on the pan evenly.  Next you scrape out the seeds.

  

TaDAAAAAAAA

Next comes the seasonings.  We generously sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and honey, covering the inside meat of the pumpkin.  Don't forget to cover the pumpkin half's with foil.

  

After baking in the oven (425*F for an hour and a half), you take them out and allow them to cool.  As they cool, the meat (and the juices) begins to separate from the rind of the actual pumpkin, making it easier to scoop out.  Into the food processor they go.

    

What it looks like before straining it into a mixing box.  Almost done for those clock watchers.  Straining it prevents any rind, seeds or strings to end up in the final product.

Next we put on the wire whisk on the counter top Kitchen-Aid mixer, add some other ingredients (cream, honey, brown and white sugar, pinch of salt, and spices to taste), and mix away until it is the right consistency.  Of course, we cant put the wonderful aroma our house smells like after we are done with this process in this blogpost, but it is amazing!!!

As we will use it throughout the year, into zip-lock bags it goes.  Off to the freezer to be used throughout the year.  Pies, muffins, bread, oatmeal.  The list goes on.