I had never made angel hair before and I didn't even think I was a big fan of this sweet concoction. This recipe is a special request from Mrs. Claudia, which I am especially grateful for because homemade angel hair as it is made is something else, not even comparable to the industrial bayonnaise fillings that I have known since I was a little girl.
I was so ignorant that I had never seen a candied pumpkin or citron in my life and… it impresses you because it seems like it is going to speak to you. Because of its size and because of its tender and sweet flesh. A sweetheart.
Angel hair is nothing more than the pulp of this pumpkin, like a jam, candied in sugar . This pulp must be cooked beforehand to soften it and remove it from the skin. But the process, although it has several stages, is very easy , and the homemade hair will help you make some amazing pastissets , cider shortbreads or ensaimadas. Let's get to it.
Le Creuset Mediterranean glass bowl and oval cocotte
Ingredients
- 1 pumpkin
- Water to cook it
- The same weight of citron pulp in sugar (or less if we want it less sweet)
- ½ lemon without seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
Elaboration
- We cut the pumpkin into eighths; we have to be very careful because the skin is very hard. Some people recommend throwing it on the ground to break it. What a shame.
- We put the pieces in a pot or pots, cover with water and cook over low heat, covered, for at least an hour until the pulp is tender.
- Remove from the pot and drain. When the pumpkin is safe to touch without burning yourself, remove the seeds. They are easy to remove, but you have to be careful with some small ones that are the same colour as the pulp.
- Using a fork, scrape the meat well, leaving only the skin, and place it in a colander placed over a bowl to drain the liquid it has absorbed during cooking. You will need to throw away the liquid at some point so that it continues to drain.
- When the pumpkin pulp no longer releases any more liquid, we weigh it. Next, we weigh the same weight obtained, but of sugar, or a little less if we want the angel hair less sweet.
- Place the pulp and sugar with a cinnamon stick and half a lemon in a cocotte and bring to the boil.
- We cook over low heat, covered, until we see that the angel hair has that characteristic cinnamon or amber color and the strands are translucent.
- If there is still some liquid left at this point, uncover the pot and cook a little more until it is reduced.
- Let it cool, remove the cinnamon and lemon, and bottle it. It lasts the same as jam; if you don't bottle it in sterilized jars , you will have to keep it in the fridge.
Luigi Bormioli airtight glass jars
Did you find it difficult? It's not, making angel hair just requires some planning, but it's so simple you'll wonder why you didn't do it before. Go for it.
Comments
Mila said:
No encuentro la calabaza cidra por ninguna parte,me podrían decir dónde comprarlas.
María said:
Como dice Isabel, el horno es lo mejor, me lo recomendó mi suegra,,y así lo hice, en un plis plas estaba lista para pelar sin esfuerzo,,a mi no me gusta encontrarme los hilos del cabello la trituré con la batidora y quedó una mermelada riquísima, lista para una infinidad de pasteles!
Isabel Morales said:
Siempre había echo el cabello de angel de la misma manera, hasta que una amiga me explicó que poniendo las calabazas lavadas y enteras en el horno, resultaba mucho más fácil pelarlas y se aprobechaba mucho más la pulpa, ya que se rasca un poco con una cuchara y queda la cáscara finísima.
Hay que esperar hasta que empiezan a dorarse y se agrieta la piel.
Lucia Elizabeth said:
Acá en Chile le llamamos Alcayota y tambien hacemos un dulce al que le agregamos nueces . Se hacen unas empanaditas con ese relleno y son muy exquisitas.