Pumpkin Seed Hard Candy Recipes

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.

STEAMED PUMPKIN PUDDINGS WITH TENNESSEE RUM HARD SAUCE AND PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• To prepare the puddings, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the inside of six 6-ounce heat-proof custard cups or ramekins with the melted butter. Invert the custard cups on a baking sheet and refrigerate until the butter sets.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and coriander.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer), beat the 8 tablespoons butter and the cane sugar on high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the yolk and the vanilla, beating well and scraping down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Beat in the pumpkin puree and scrape down the bowl.
• Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk, beating each time only until the batter is smooth.
• Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to carefully divide the batter among the custard cups, taking care to keep the rims clean. Gently tap each cup to remove any air bubbles.
• In a lidded baking dish or Dutch oven large enough to hold the custard cups with at least 1/2 inch of space between them, place a folded kitchen towel (to hold the cups steady). Arrange the custard cups in the dish. Pour enough very hot tap water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Cover the baking dish tightly with the lid.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a pudding comes out clean and the top springs back when gently pressed, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the lid and let the puddings cool in the water bath for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the hard sauce. In a medium bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer set to high speed until fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add the confectioners' sugar. When the sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to high, and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Fold in the nutmeg and rum with a rubber spatula; you should have about 1/2 cup. Use within 1 hour or transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Allow the sauce to come to room temperature before serving.
• The puddings can be served warm or at room temperature. If serving directly in the custard cups, serve at once or let cool on a wire rack. If unmolding, to serve the puddings warm as soon as they come out of the water, run a thin knife around the inside of each ramekin to loosen the puddings, then invert into a serving plate. To serve at room temperature, place the ramekins on a wire rack until the puddings cool before inverting them onto serving plates. Top each serving with about 1 tablespoon of the hard sauce and a large shard of brittle.
• Generously butter a rimmed baking sheet or line it with a silicone baking mat. In a large skillet, cook the pumpkin seeds over medium heat, stirring often, until they are lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
• In a large, heavy, deep saucepan, combine the cane sugar, corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, and 2 tablespoons butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a long-handled wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Let the mixture boil without stirring until it turns deep amber, 8 to 12 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and carefully stir in the baking soda, vanilla, and salt. The mixture will bubble vigorously and expand in the pan. Immediately stir in the pumpkin seeds and pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a heat-proof spatula to gently but quickly spread the brittle into a thin, even layer.
• Let the brittle cool to room temperature. Run an offset spatula under the brittle to help loosen it, or gently twist the pan. Break the brittle into shards. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

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.

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 SLICES

Steps:

• Cut the pumpkin into wedges about 3 to 4 inches wide. Cut across wedges to form slices about 1/4 inch wide; set aside.
• Combine 2 cups sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a medium bowl. Add pumpkin pieces; stir until well coated. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.
• Transfer mixture to a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until pumpkin is translucent and sugar has formed a light-amber-colored caramel, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Remove pumpkin from caramel with a slotted spoon, and dry on a rack set over a cookie sheet for at least 12 hours, turning the pumpkin pieces once or twice.

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 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 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 HARD CANDY

Steps:

• 1. Grease a baking sheet. In a medium dry skillet, toast the pumpkin seeds, stirring, over medium heat until they begin to brown, pop around in the pan, and smell toasty. Transfer to a plate to cool. 2. Preheat oven to 200° and put the baking sheet in the oven to warm. (This will help the candy spread.) Put the sugar in a heavy medium skillet, and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar melts. Continue stirring until the melted sugar turns lightly golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Take care not to let the sugar get dark brown once it starts to turn, it colors fast. Stir in the toasted pumpkin seeds, salt, and butter. (The seeds will probably make a popping noise.) 3. Immediately spread the mixture with the back of a spoon on the warm baking sheet. Work quickly because the caramel will begin to harden right away. Cool the brittle completely. Break into 12 free-form pieces and store, covered, at room temperature for several weeks.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.