1. Pick pumpkins
Generally speaking, the selection requirements of pumpkins used for cooking and carving are different. The smaller the pumpkin, the more convenient it is to cook, and the flesh is finer, tighter and sweeter. A pumpkin like this weighs about 4-5 pounds. If the pumpkin looks bruised or feels a little soft, it means that the pumpkin has begun to rot. When choosing pumpkins, look at whether there are knife marks or scratches on the pumpkins, and try to choose intact pumpkins. Moreover, because the pumpkin is placed with the bottom facing down, it is best to check whether there is any rot at the bottom when buying. The last step is to hold the root of the pumpkin with your hand. If the root breaks when you lift it, it means that the pumpkin has begun to rot. A 3-pound pumpkin can make 3 cups of pumpkin sauce. Because pumpkins will shrink in the process of making, we can roughly calculate how many pumpkins are needed according to this weight.
Step 2 prepare pumpkins
The most difficult part of preparing pumpkin is to clear out all pumpkin seeds, but it is gratifying that the cleaned pumpkin seeds can be eaten as snacks after proper baking. Cut the pumpkin into two pieces with a big knife, and then scoop out all the pumpkin seeds with a spoon. After taking out the pumpkin seeds, wash them and leave the pumpkin seeds.
Step 3 bake and process pumpkins
Cut half a pumpkin into small pieces, put it in a baking tray and add half a cup of water to it. Bake at 400 degrees Celsius 1 hour until the pumpkin can be easily inserted with a fork. Take it out and let it cool. Once the pumpkin is cooled, you can peel off the skin of the pumpkin. Because the pumpkin becomes soft after baking, it can be easily peeled off. Pour the remaining pumpkin pulp into a blender and beat it into a slurry. The pumpkin sauce made in this way can be used in any baking recipe that needs pumpkin, such as pumpkin protein milkshake, pumpkin pancakes and other dessert recipes.
Step 4 cook pumpkin sauce
Pour pumpkin sauce into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the water evaporates and the volume is reduced by half. Add 1/2 cup of maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2/2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg powder, 1/4 teaspoon of ginger powder, 1/8 teaspoon of spiced powder, 1/8 teaspoon of clove powder and a pinch of coarse salt into the pumpkin sauce, and stir well. In a cup, mix 1 tablespoon of Ge Fen and 1/2 cup of cold water, and stir until the Ge Fen is completely blended. Pour into the saucepan, then stir constantly until it is completely blended. If the pumpkin sauce made in this way is too sticky, you can add some water appropriately until you make the desired consistency. It is best to make the pumpkin sauce thicker, so that the viscosity that can stand up after the spoon is inserted is the best.
5. Preservation method
Cool the pumpkin sauce and pour it into a clean sealed container. If it is refrigerated, it can be kept for 2-3 weeks. However, it is best to keep it frozen.
Step 6 bake pumpkin seeds
Put pumpkin seeds into a filter basin, and wash the pulp wound on it. Then, dry the remaining pumpkin seeds with towel. Put the cleaned pumpkin seeds into a baking pan, sprinkle with a little vegetable oil and salt, or add some spices you like. Cover with plastic wrap, put in the oven and bake at 350 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. Then, turn on the oven, turn over the pumpkin seeds and bake for another 5- 10 minutes. After baking, take a pumpkin seed and taste it. If it tastes a little raw, you need to bake it for a few more minutes.
7. Usage of pumpkin sauce
Pumpkin sauce can be eaten directly with breakfast, such as pouring sweet and delicious pumpkin sauce on crispy waffles. Or spread pumpkin sauce directly on bread or other baked goods, such as homemade French bread or buckwheat brown rice waffles.