Pumpkin in desserts

With the arrival of autumn in the kitchen, both in savory and sweet dishes, one of the most used vegetables is the pumpkin, very versatile and also healthy.

There are many varieties of pumpkin, each with its own shape, skin, size, and particular flavor, and are used in cooking 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 most suitable pumpkin is the Delica.

Externally it is small, round, slightly flattened and with a dark green skin.

Its pulp is nice and firm, dry and compact, so it has little water and consequently a strong flavor. It's creamy and sweet, with little stringiness, making it excellent for use in desserts like cookies, baked cakes, cheesecakes, and so on

It is an excellent variety of pumpkin also because it is very easy to find in the supermarket.

As we've already mentioned, pumpkin season is autumn. You can start finding it as early as the beginning of September, and some harvests end as late as February. But the great thing is that once you've picked or purchased it, you don't have to use it right away; you can keep it for several months. 

It should be stored whole, with the peel, in a dry place, away from heat or sunlight, and at fairly cool temperatures, such as in a cellar, a sheltered terrace, or indoors if the temperature doesn't exceed 20 degrees Celsius. This way, they can be stored for several months. 

Once you open the pumpkin, peel and peel it, cut it, and store it raw in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days. 

As a last resort, it can be frozen for up to 12 months, always cleaned, diced, raw, and stored in a container or food bag.

Today we'll see how to quickly cook pumpkin to make a puree for desserts. We won't use the peel to make the puree, but the pumpkin's peel is edible, so to make savory dishes or bake it in slices, simply peel the pumpkin thoroughly and cook everything together—it's delicious.

With 1500 g of cleaned raw pumpkin, without peel and seeds, you get approximately 1250 g of puree.

Procedure

Wash the outside of the pumpkin to remove any traces of dirt. Place it on a cutting board and cut it in half using a long, sharp knife. 

Using a spoon, remove all the internal filaments and seeds. 

Always using the knife, cut off the green peel. 

Then cut into slices of about 1-2 cm and then cut into cubes.

Place them in a glass bowl, cover with cling film, cover well so that there are no gaps. 

Cook in the microwave for about 15 minutes at 700W power.

Then remove the film, being careful 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's cooked.