Dulces De Calabasas (mexican Pumpkin Candy)

Total Time: 20 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 20 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 20
• 2 lbs whole pumpkin (1-2 small, 1 qt. when chopped)
• water
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• granulated sugar

Recipe

• 1 cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds and as much of the "stringy stuff" as you can, and chop into pieces approximately 1-1.5 inches by 1.5-2.5 inches.
• 2 slice off skin, taking off as little flesh as you can.
• 3 measure to make sure you have approximately one quart of pumpkin pieces (either pack well into a measuring cup or fill a calibrated 1/2 gallon or 1 gallon measure to the quart line and drop in pieces until water hits the 1/2 gallon line, then drain water.).
• 4 put in a fairly heavy saucepan and cover with water.
• 5 cover, bring to a boil, and boil for 15-20 minutes.
• 6 drain, but save water, and place pumpkin back in pan.
• 7 measure water to make sure you have about 1 1/2 cups.
• 8 stir in packed brown sugar until smooth. add cloves and/or cinnamon at this point, if desired.
• 9 pour the sugar/water syrup over the pumpkin, cover, return to a boil, and boil another 15 minutes.
• 10 turn off heat and let sit overnight (at least 8 hours.) this is how the pumpkin soaks up the syrup and "candies".
• 11 in the morning (or after the 8-10 hours), return to a boil, and boil an additional 5 minutes.
• 12 remove from syrup with a slotted spoon and place on a tray or cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.
• 13 allow to dry at least 10-12 hours in a place where it will not be disturbed (if you're not going to be using the oven and haven't had it on recently, the cold oven is a great place to keep it safe.).
• 14 roll in granulated sugar and enjoy! place in air-tight container to store up to two weeks.