Pumpkin-Filled Flat White Pumpkin

This was the third and final course for a private event at Earthbound Farm Stand last week.

If you have followed my culinary adventures for even one year, you'll know that I am obsessed with Winter Squash. I ate so many one year that I kicked off a sensitivity and broke out in a rash. I have also done that to myself with strawberries. Apparently, moderation isn't my strength. In any case, I use Winter squash more judiciously these years.

I served this as the dessert course for a private event. The first year I did a version and called it 'Pie in the Pumpkin', but I was corrected that a pie requires a crust. Fine. The quantities for this recipe is for a large Flat White Pumpkin. For a smaller pumpkin, scale down. I will be making this again at the end of the month when I am booked for two back-to-back private events at the pavilion at Earthbound Farm.

Ingredients

• 1 organic Flat White Pumpkin (you can use any pumpkin or winter squash)

• 8 cups pumpkin or winter squash purée (you can use any pumpkin or winter squash purée, for this I used a Silver Hubbard; here's my process for making purée )

• 4 Tablespoons heavy cream

• 3/4 cup organic dark brown sugar, lightly packed

• 3/4 cup organic raw turbinado sugar

• 6 eggs

• 8 Tablespoons olive oil (I used the Butter Flavor Olive Oil from The Quail & Olive)

• 1/3 cup whole milk yogurt

• 1/2 cup maple syrup + more for brushing on the squash (or any simple syrup, I used a homemade star anise simple syrup)

• 5 to 6 Tablespoons fresh ginger (peeled and grated)

• 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom

•  2 teaspoons ground allspice

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• whipped cream or ice cream, for serving, optional

Procedure

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Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the squash in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and some of the flesh. I left about an inch all the way around. Reserve the seeds for roasting! Brush the entire cut surface of the pumpkin with maple syrup.

Whisk together cream, brown sugar, eggs, and olive oil until well-blended. Scoop in the pumpkin purée. Whisk to combine. Add in yogurt, maple syrup, ginger, and other spices. Blend until smooth.

Pour into prepared pumpkin shells. Bake for 75 to 90 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center pulls clear. Let cool completely before serving.

Serve in slices with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

And that is a wrap on my third and final course for the Winter Squash event at Earthbound Farm Stand. I will be there again in a couple of weeks for another Winter Squash demo and tasting.