Best Pumpkin Seed Hard Candy Recipes

DULCES DE CALABASAS (MEXICAN PUMPKIN CANDY)

Steps:

• Cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds and as much of the "stringy stuff" as you can, and chop into pieces approximately 1-1.5 inches by 1.5-2.5 inches.
• Slice off skin, taking off as little flesh as you can.
• Measure to make sure you have approximately one quart of pumpkin pieces (either pack well into a measuring cup or fill a calibrated 1/2 gallon or 1 gallon measure to the quart line and drop in pieces until water hits the 1/2 gallon line, then drain water.).
• Put in a fairly heavy saucepan and cover with water.
• Cover, bring to a boil, and boil for 15-20 minutes.
• Drain, but save water, and place pumpkin back in pan.
• Measure water to make sure you have about 1 1/2 cups.
• Stir in packed brown sugar until smooth. Add cloves and/or cinnamon at this point, if desired.
• Pour the sugar/water syrup over the pumpkin, cover, return to a boil, and boil another 15 minutes.
• Turn off heat and let sit overnight (at least 8 hours.) This is how the pumpkin soaks up the syrup and "candies".
• In the morning (or after the 8-10 hours), return to a boil, and boil an additional 5 minutes.
• Remove from syrup with a slotted spoon and place on a tray or cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.
• Allow to dry at least 10-12 hours in a place where it will not be disturbed (if you're not going to be using the oven and haven't had it on recently, the cold oven is a great place to keep it safe.).
• Roll in granulated sugar and enjoy! Place in air-tight container to store up to two weeks.

PUMPKIN-SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet; set aside.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar and honey. Bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until mixture is medium amber and a candy thermometer registers 280 degrees, about 6 minutes. Stir in pumpkin seeds. Cook until mixture reaches 300 degrees, about 2 minutes. Pour onto prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely. Break into pieces.

CHEF JOHN'S PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• Stir pumpkin seeds and sea salt together in a bowl.
• Stir sugar, corn syrup, and water together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add butter and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil until mixture is dark golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; whisk in baking soda.
• Pour pumpkin seeds into sugar mixture and stir until well-combined. Transfer pumpkin seed mixture to prepared baking sheet. Place another silicone baking mat over the top of the pumpkin seed mixture and press down to make an even surface for the brittle. Let harden for about 30 seconds; remove top baking mat. Score surface with a knife to form desired shapes. Cool to room temperature and break into pieces.

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.

AUTHENTIC DULCE DE CALABAZA (MEXICAN PUMPKIN CANDY)

Steps:

• Cut pumpkin into uniform wedges or slices. Peel and cut pieces of desired size.
• Soak overnight in lime water to cover. (Use 1 tablespoon lime to each quart of water. Stir lime water well before pouring over pumpkin.).
• Remove pumpkin from lime water and wash thoroughly 3 or more times in clear water.
• Cover pumpkin with warm water and bring slowly to boiling point. Boil for 5 minutes.
• Drain and wash twice in clear cold water. Drain for an hour.
• Pierce each piece in several places with a fork so that sugar syrup can be absorbed.
• Weigh pumpkin and use equal amount of sugar. Cover pumpkin with sugar, moisten with water and bake at 300 degrees until pumpkin is crystalized, about 3 hours.
• Drain and place pumpkin on wax paper to dry.
• Will keep refrigerated about a week but you should double bag leftovers and freeze for later.

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.