Pumpkin Agar-Agar Jelly
Ingredients:
500g Pumpkin (17.63 oz), peeled and cubed
100g Sugar (3.52 oz)
Juice of Half a Lemon
50ml Water (1.69 fl oz)
9g Agar-Agar (0.31 oz)
Directions:
Cook the pumpkin:
In a medium pot, add the cubed pumpkin and water. Cook over medium heat until the pumpkin is tender and easily mashable (about 10-15 minutes).
Blend the pumpkin:
Once the pumpkin is soft, blend it until smooth using a hand blender or transfer it to a blender. You should have a smooth pumpkin puree.
Prepare the agar-agar mixture:
In a separate bowl, dissolve the agar-agar powder in a small amount of water (about 50 ml). Stir to combine.
Combine with sugar and lemon juice:
Add the sugar, lemon juice, and the dissolved agar-agar mixture to the pumpkin puree. Mix well and place the entire mixture into a pot.
Heat and thicken:
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 5 minutes to activate the agar-agar and thicken the mixture.
Set the jelly:
Pour the hot mixture into a mold of your choice and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once it has cooled, place it in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours to set.
Serve:
Once set, cut the jelly into squares or other desired shapes. Serve chilled.
Bonus Recipe – Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients:
1 Small Pumpkin (size can vary based on availability)
125g Cottage Cheese or Ricotta (4.41 oz)
200g Greek Yogurt (7.05 oz)
75g Sweetened Condensed Milk (2.64 oz)
2 Eggs
Directions:
Prepare the pumpkin puree:
Peel, seed, and cube the pumpkin. Steam or boil the pumpkin cubes until soft (about 10-15 minutes). Blend until smooth and set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven:
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line the bottom of a round cake pan with parchment paper.
Mix the cheesecake batter:
In a large bowl, whisk the cottage cheese (or ricotta) and Greek yogurt until smooth. Add the sweetened condensed milk and the two eggs, and whisk to combine. Then add the cooled pumpkin puree and mix until everything is evenly incorporated.
Pour into the pan:
Pour the pumpkin cheesecake batter into the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake the cheesecake:
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the cheesecake is set and lightly golden on top. You can test doneness by gently shaking the pan – the center should be firm but slightly wobbly.
Cool and refrigerate:
Let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to develop.
Serve:
Once chilled, remove from the pan and slice into portions. You can garnish with a dollop of whipped cream or roasted pumpkin seeds if desired.