O amor está no ar/ Love is literally in the air

Pumpkin may not necessarily be a synonym of Halloween, fall or Thanksgiving for Brazilians. We often think of the combination of pumpkin, coconut milk and shrimps or pumpkin, coconut, sugar and cinnamon. That's all. People close to us know that I, Isabela, am a huge fan of pumpkin, which may sound a little weird. As I said, pumpkins are no big deal in Brazil, but it has captured my attention since I was a kid. There is something about its colours, shapes and smell that makes me feel comforted. There is no other smell on Earth I'd choose over pumpkin spice. It just makes me happy. Well, my pumpkin charm bracelet says it all! The recipe below is dedicated to all pumpkin lovers and also to those who don't know this traditional brazilian recipe. Love will be literally in the air when the pumpkin and the spices start to cook! 💖

Ingredients

About 3kg pumpkin, peeled and chopped into medium chunks

500g caster sugar

cloves and cinnamon stick to taste

200g shredded coconut (unsweetened)

Method

In a large saucepan, combine the pumpkin chunks, caster sugar, cloves and cinnamon stick. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 35 minutes or until you have a sort of thick and smooth puree. As the pumpkin contains a lot of water and produces a lot of liquid when cooked, there is no need to pour in some more. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add in shredded coconut. Let it cool at cool temperature first and then take it to the fridge. Serve with some with some whipping cream. 

Doce de abóbora

Ingredientes

Aproximadamente 3kg de abóbora pescoço, descascada e cortada em cubos

500g de açúcar refinado

cravo e canela em pau a gosto

200g de coco ralado sem açúcar

Modo de preparo

Em uma panela grande, junte a abóbora, o açúcar, o cravo e a canela. Em fogo médio, cozinhe os ingredientes por aproximadamente 35 minutos, mexendo frequentemente, ou até a abóbora se desmanchar, obtendo uma massa pastosa e brilhosa. Não é necessário acrescentar água, pois o cozimento se dá com a própria água da abóbora. O brilho do doce, por sua vez, se dá no final do cozimento por conta do açúcar e da água que começa a secar. Por último, acrescente o coco ralado e deixe o doce descansar a temperatura ambiente para depois levá-lo à geladeira. Sirva com creme de leite.