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Candied Pumpkin With Tahini and Date Syrup (Kabak Tatlısı)

By Yasmin Khan

2.7

(2)

Photo of a slice of candied pumpkin with tahini date syrup and walnuts on a plate with a spoon.
Photo by Matt Russell

Candied pumpkin is a popular sweet in Turkey, where it can either be cooked on the stove or in an oven and then served plain as it is, or—for a fancier version—topped with creamy kaymak or tahini and date syrup. I’ve opted for the oven method here for ease and speed, so while you need to start this the night before you want to eat it, there is very little to do other than bake the pumpkin.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 6

Ingredients

3 ⅓ lb (1.5 kg) sugar pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) wedges
2¼ cups (450 g) granulated sugar

To serve

tahini
date syrup
crushed walnuts

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the pumpkin or squash in a roasting dish and sprinkle with the sugar. Toss to ensure the pumpkin or squash is evenly coated, then let it rest for 30 minutes; after this time you should see that the sugar has begun to melt. Spoon this syrup back over the pumpkin or squash, then cover the dish with foil and let it rest on the work surface for at least 12 hours.

    Step 2

    By the next day, the sugar should have completely dissolved and the pumpkin or squash will have released its juices.

    Step 3

    Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

    Step 4

    Take off the foil and transfer the dish to the oven to bake for 1 hour, spooning the juices back over the pumpkin every 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in its dish.

    Step 5

    To serve, place a pumpkin slice on a serving plate, drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of tahini and 1 tablespoon date syrup, and finish with a smattering of crushed walnuts.

Photo of 'Ripe Figs' by Yasmin Khan.
Reprinted from Ripe Figs: Recipes and Stories from Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus. Copyright © 2021 by Yasmin Khan. Published by W.W. Norton & Company. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.
TagsDessertTurkishMiddle EasternPumpkinSquashVegetableWalnutNutTahiniDairy FreeVeganGluten FreeEasyRoastThanksgivingRosh HashanahCookbooks

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