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A cake stand of syrup-soaked pumpkin cubes topped with nuts.
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5 from 1 vote

Turkish Pumpkin with Walnuts | Kabak Tatlisi

For this Turkish pumpkin dessert, pumpkin (or any winter squash) chunks are slow roasted in a sugar syrup and then sprinkled with toasted buttered walnuts.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Turkish
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 364

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 to 1 3/4 pounds pumpkin, or other sweet, edible winter squash such as butternut or Hubbard
  • 1 cup superfine sugar, (or you can make your own by blitzing granulated sugar in a blender until fine but not powdery)
  • 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, (halves or pieces), preferably freshly shelled
  • 1 cup cultured cream, such as crème fraîche, whipped cream, or Greek yogurt (optional)
US - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the pumpkin

  • Peel and trim the 1 1/3 to 1 3/4 pounds pumpkin. You should have about 1 pound. Cut the squash into 1-inch chunks.
  • Toss the pumpkin with the 1 cup superfine sugar in a shallow ceramic baking dish and let stand until the squash weeps and the sugar dissolves, at least 30 minutes and perhaps as long as 1 hour.

Roast the pumpkin

  • Crank the oven to 300°F (150°C).
  • Use a wooden spoon to toss the pumpkin and sugar. Cover with a crumpled sheet of damp parchment paper and bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the juices bubble and the pumpkin is tender throughout. Turn off the oven but do not remove the dish. Instead, let the pumpkin cool inside the warm environment so it can continue to reabsorb the syrupy juices. Store the pumpkin and its syrup in a cool place or in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to meld. Let the pumpkin return to room temperature before serving.

Assemble the dessert

  • Just before serving, melt the 1 teaspoon unsalted butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the 1/3 cup walnuts and cook, tossing frequently, until they're glistening. Spoon the squash and a few teaspoons of the syrup into individual serving bowls and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts. Garnish with dollops of 1 cup cultured cream, whipped cream, or yogurt, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1perving | Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 25mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 55g