Calabaza en Tacha: Candied Pumpkin

This traditional Dia De Los Muertos recipe is known in Mexico as Calabaza en Tacha. It features winter squash that’s candied until sweet and tender in brown sugar cane syrup, then simmered with fresh orange zest, cinnamon sticks, and orange juice.

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Calabaza en Tacha: Candied Pumpkin

Course:

Appetizers

Cuisine:

Mexican

Yield:

Time:

Prep Time: 10 mins., Cook Time: 35 mins.

INGREDIENTS:

1 (4 to 5 lb.) pumpkin (or other winter squash such as butternut squash)
2 cups water
2 piloncillo brown sugar cane cones
1 orange, zested and juiced
2 cinnamon sticks

DIRECTIONS:

Cut pumpkin in half; scoop out seeds and stringy flesh with a large spoon. Leaving the rind on, cut pumpkin into 8 to 12 large pieces.
Combine water and piloncillo cones in a shallow wide saucepan; cover and simmer over low heat until sugar dissolves. Add orange zest, orange juice and cinnamon sticks.
Arrange pumpkin pieces, skin-side down, in saucepan, cover and simmer undisturbed over low heat for 30 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.
Serve pumpkin pieces topped with syrup.