Pumpkin Purée: Which One to Use and How to Make It

Free

Difficulty: Low
Time: 30 min
Quantity: 1500 g of raw cleaned pumpkin = 1250 g puree
Type: Creams, Mousses and Ganaches
Dietary requirements: Nut-free Gluten-free Cream-free Sugar-free Vegan

Ingredients

1 whole Delica pumpkin

Pumpkin in desserts With the arrival of autumn in the kitchen, both for savory dishes and desserts, one of the most used vegetables is pumpkin, very versatile and also healthy. There are many varieties of pumpkin, each has its own shape, skin, size, a particular flavor and they are used in the kitchen for different preparations. Which pumpkin is best to use in desserts? Starting from the fact that everyone is obviously free to use the variety they prefer and experiment, the pumpkin that lends itself best is the Delica. Externally it is small, round, slightly flattened and with a dark green skin. Its flesh is firm, dry and compact, so it has little water and consequently the flavor is strong. It is creamy and sweet, not very fibrous, so it is excellent to be used in desserts such as cookies, baked cakes, cheesecakes etc. It is excellent as a pumpkin variety also because it is very easy to find at the supermarket. The pumpkin season as we have already said is autumn, it begins to be found already at the beginning of September and some harvests end even in February. But the nice and interesting thing is that once harvested or purchased you do not have to use it immediately but you can store it for several months. It is necessary to store it whole, with the skin, in a dry environment, away from sources of heat or sunlight and at fairly cool temperatures, for example in a cellar, or on a sheltered terrace, or at home if the temperature is not above 20 degrees. In this way they can be stored for several months. When you open the pumpkin, clean it from the skin and pulp, cut it and store it raw in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days. As a last option you can freeze it for up to 12 months, always cleaned, cut into cubes and raw and stored in a food container or bag. Today we will see how to quickly cook the pumpkin to obtain a purée to use in desserts. We will not use the skin to make the purée, but the skin of this pumpkin can be eaten, so for savory dishes or baking it in slices it will be enough to clean the skin well and cook everything together, it is delicious. With 1500 g of cleaned raw pumpkin, without skin and seeds, you get about 1250 g of purée.

Method

Wash the pumpkin externally to remove any traces of soil. Place it on a cutting board and with a long sharp knife cut it in half. With a spoon remove all internal fibers and seeds. Using the knife, cut away the green skin.

Then cut into slices about 1-2 cm thick and then cut into cubes. Place them in a glass bowl, cover with cling film, seal well so there are no gaps.

Cook in the microwave for about 15 minutes at 700W. Then remove the cling film, beware of the hot steam that comes out. Check the cooking with a fork, if the pumpkin cubes are soft and the fork goes in easily then it is cooked.

Press the cooked pumpkin with a fork until it is well reduced to a creamy purée. It can be used as is or strained to make it smoother and remove some fibers. Transfer to a closed container and store in the fridge.

Storage

Store the purée in the refrigerator in a container for 3-4 days.

Tips

If you do not have a microwave you can cook the pumpkin cubes in the oven, on a baking sheet with parchment paper, at 160-170˚C static until it becomes soft or you can steam cook it. You are advised to read these articles: - which ingredients to use (https://veganpastryclub.com/quali-ingredienti-utilizzare/) - where to buy pastry ingredients and products (https://veganpastryclub.com/dove-acquistare-ingredienti-e-attrezzi-di-pasticceria/)