top of page
Calabaza en Tacha
Candied pumpkin simmered in piloncillo syrup with cinnamon and orange until glossy and spoon-tender. A classic ofrenda sweet for Día de los Muertos. Serves 6–8.
RECIPE CARD
Calabaza en Tacha
────────────────────────
Ingredients
- 1 small sugar pumpkin or kabocha (3–4 lb), seeded and cut into large wedges, skin on
- 12 oz piloncillo, chopped (or 1½ cups dark brown sugar)
- 1½ cups water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- Peel of 1 orange, in wide strips, plus its juice
- Pinch of salt
- Cold milk or crema, for serving
Instructions
- In a wide pot, simmer the piloncillo, water, cinnamon, cloves, orange peel and juice and salt until the sugar dissolves.
- Nestle in the pumpkin wedges skin side down. Cover and simmer gently 30 minutes.
- Uncover, flip the pieces and keep simmering, basting often, until the pumpkin is tender and glazed and the syrup is thick, 20–30 minutes more.
- Cool in the syrup.
Plating
Serve warm or cold in a bowl with syrup spooned over and a splash of cold milk or crema.
────────────────────────
Schossow Kitchen · schossowkitchen.com
bottom of page