Pumpkin flavored latte, Pumpkin flavored beer, pumpkin cookies. Seems like everything in October has pumpkin in it. Sometimes I feel like the pumpkin craze is played-out. I mean, pumpkin cologne? We have to stop somewhere. All that said, when it comes to dessert, I am a life-long pumpkin fan.
The CSA I belong to in Boulder, Cure Organic Farm, had pie pumpkins as part of the share this week. When I saw this on the weekly pick-up email I knew a delicious desert was in my future.
The pumpkin variety I used is called “Winter Luxury”, it is a heirloom variety that always ranks at the top for that rich pumpkin flavor. You may not have access to heirloom variety pumpkins, but most grocery stores will have “baking” or “pie” pumpkins this time of year.
Below is a great recipe for an easy and delicious dessert that is sure to impress your guests.
Pumpkin:
1 small to medium sized baking pumpkin
1 cup of 100% pumpkin puree (from can)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1/4 tsp clove
1/4 tsp salt
Crisp:
1 cup almond flour
1 cup rolled oats (Bob's Redmill Gluten Free)
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons softened Earth Balance
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375. Coat a pie dish with cooking spray or some drizzles of canola oil. Now, start cutting into that pumpkin. I like to cut it into pieces first, then grab a bowl and get all the seeds together. The seeds make a great snack. Put them to the side until you get to the bottom of this post, where I have a little extra pumpkin seed recipe treat for you. Next start peeling the pieces of pumpkin until there is no skin left on them. Little secret, I like to leave the stringy stuff on the inside. When you bake it, it caramelizes, and adds a delicious candy flavor once it's mixed with the sugar.
Fill up the baking tray with the pieces of pumpkin and bake for about 35 minutes or until soft and lightly browned.
Take the pumpkin out of the oven and lightly mush it with a fork. Don’t puree it completely, you want to still have that ‘meaty' pumpkin texture. ** Leave the oven on if you plan on baking the crisp right away.
In a large bowl, toss together the pumpkin, pumpkin puree, sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, clove, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
For the crisp:
In a bowl, gently combine: almond flour, oats, brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and melted butter until crumbly.
*I like my crisp to be fresh and warm for my guests. So I usually put the mix and the topping in the fridge separately until I am ready to bake. Before serving dinner, I place the pumpkin mixture in the baking dish. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin is cooked through, and the topping is browned. If you prefer, you can cook it before your guests arrive, just make sure you bring it to the desired temperature before serving.
P.S. I also like to top it with some not-as-sweet dairy free ice cream or whipped cream to add a little something extra and balance the sweetness out.
Want to make some pumpkin seeds?
Simply drain the seeds in a colander to get all the orange string stuff off. Spread the seeds on some paper towel, and let them dry over night.
The next day, toss them in a bowl with olive oil, a few pinches of salt, and pepper. Put them on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until golden to dark brown (depending on how crunchy you like them). Watch carefully, you don’t want them to burn! Enjoy as a healthy snack or sprinkle them on a salad for a little crunch.
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