Amongst most normal groups, my affinity for spending hours in the kitchen baking something up is seen as both slightly crazy and also a little bit weird. But for the most part, everyone stays (mostly) quiet on the subject. It’s probably, I’m guessing, because they’re too busy eating all the cookies and cakes to really complain about my weirdness (which, lets face it, they’ve gotten pretty used to at this point). However, I have found that amongst food blogging circles, running around the kitchen for hours, trying to make something from nothing in this way is considered way less weird. It’s even considered, well…normal. Which is probably why I keep doing this darn thing (blogging, that is).
I have to admit it though, my most recent cooking attempt was a little bit weird.
I made pumpkin puree. Now, generally speaking, making one’s own pumpkin puree isn’t totally an abnormality. But when you’re in France, poor and don’t have a blender, food processor or any other type of pureeing device, it does seem a bit off. But I did it anyway.
And this is how:
Buy some pumpkin. Fortunately, the French eat pumpkin in soup, so finding it isn't that hard. But French pumpkin doesn't look like American pumpkin and is normally bigger, more squat and lighter in color. It looks like it should be in a Tim Burton movie.
Once you've secured the pumpkin, bake it with a little bit of water, at 350* for about an hour and a half, until it is tender when you poke it with a fork. It should look like this:
I have to admit it though, my most recent cooking attempt was a little bit weird.
I made pumpkin puree. Now, generally speaking, making one’s own pumpkin puree isn’t totally an abnormality. But when you’re in France, poor and don’t have a blender, food processor or any other type of pureeing device, it does seem a bit off. But I did it anyway.
And this is how:
Buy some pumpkin. Fortunately, the French eat pumpkin in soup, so finding it isn't that hard. But French pumpkin doesn't look like American pumpkin and is normally bigger, more squat and lighter in color. It looks like it should be in a Tim Burton movie.
Once you've secured the pumpkin, bake it with a little bit of water, at 350* for about an hour and a half, until it is tender when you poke it with a fork. It should look like this:
You don't need to murder it with the fork the way I did, but if you're a little compulsive, go right on ahead. This ain't no beauty contest.
Once it's tender, wait for it to cool. Or if you're impatient like me, scoop it out with a big spoon and try not to burn your hands off.
Now, if you're a normal person, scoop the goodness into a food processor or a blender and blend until it's smooth. If you're me, buy the cheapest plastic food mill you can find and put it through the food mill.
Once it's tender, wait for it to cool. Or if you're impatient like me, scoop it out with a big spoon and try not to burn your hands off.
Now, if you're a normal person, scoop the goodness into a food processor or a blender and blend until it's smooth. If you're me, buy the cheapest plastic food mill you can find and put it through the food mill.
You'll have to put it through more than once for two reasons: 1)Your crappy food mill (all 8 Euros of it) doesn't work very well and 2)You don't actually know how to use a food mill and there's a learning curve.
After all that, it should look like this:
After all that, it should look like this:
Juicy, pumpkin puree. You gotta strain that shiz.
You gotta make a makeshift strainer with your paper towels, your kitchen knives and your hand-me-down strainer.
You gotta make a makeshift strainer with your paper towels, your kitchen knives and your hand-me-down strainer.
And finally, one 30 minute walk to the store, one piece of pumpkin, 2 1/2 hours of waiting, food-milling, straining and one tired arm later you have this:
One cup of pumpkin puree. Which wouldn't be worth it, unless you got to eat these:
Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Blondies. So delicious, they don't make me feel so crazy after all.
These were even better the day after, which makes them perfect party dessert because you can make them ahead!
Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Blondies (from Made in Sonoma and Martha Stewart)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 package white chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9"x13" baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with non stick cooking spray.
2. In a bowl mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.
3. Using an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar until smooth. Add in egg and vanilla, beat until combined. Add in the pumpkin and combine. On low speed add in the dry ingredients until just combined. Pour white chocolate chips in and stir until incorporated evenly.
4. Spread batter out on prepared baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan and then remove by lifting foil out and cutting into even squares.
These were even better the day after, which makes them perfect party dessert because you can make them ahead!
Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Blondies (from Made in Sonoma and Martha Stewart)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 package white chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9"x13" baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with non stick cooking spray.
2. In a bowl mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.
3. Using an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar until smooth. Add in egg and vanilla, beat until combined. Add in the pumpkin and combine. On low speed add in the dry ingredients until just combined. Pour white chocolate chips in and stir until incorporated evenly.
4. Spread batter out on prepared baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan and then remove by lifting foil out and cutting into even squares.
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