Abenaki Pumpkin Candy
Recipe By :
[email protected]
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Candy
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 lb Pumpkin -- up to 3 lb
1 1/2 ts Baking soda
2 1/2 c Sugar
1/2 c Water
1 Lemon -- juice and zest of
- (optional)
3 Fresh cilantro sprigs -- up to 4
- (optional)
Peel and seed pumpkin and cut it into 2x4" strips. Stir baking soda
into enough water to cover the strips. Add pumpkin strips and allow
to soak 12 hours. Drain and rinse pumpkin in running water. Drop
pumpkin strips into a pot of boiling water and cook until tender, but
not soft. Remove the pumpkin strips and crisp in a bowl of ice cold
water, then drain. Combine sugar with 1/2 cup water, lemon juice, and
cilantro in a saucepan. Heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved,
then boil slowly, without stirring for 10 minutes. Add pumpkin
strips, cover the pot, and simmer for about 20 minutes, until syrup
is thick and strips are brittle. Spread candy out on a rack or on a
wax paper-covered tray to dry for at least 10 hours. Roll in
additional sugar if desired and store in an airtight container.
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Notes: Makes about 1 pound.
Coiled strips of pumpkin and melon drying in the sun were a common
sight in the late fall at the turn of the century. Simmered, often
together with dried apples or berries, and if available, added sugar,
they made a popular dessert.
Pumpkin candy is another treat. Traditionally, the strips of pumpkin
in this recipe are soaked in a bath of water and wood ashes to
soften, however today, most indians use baking soda as a substitute
for the ashes. Those who prefer a less sweet candy sometimes add
lemon juice and thin strips of lemon zest to the sugar syrup and
flavor their syrup with cilantro. Those with a real sweet tooth, roll
the dried candy in coarse grained sugar.
