This Kalabasa Halaya is flavored with pumpkin spice, which gives this recipe an American Twist. Great to have a spoon of it after dinner or use it in drinks or baked goods.
Did you know that you can make Halaya (or Jam) with any potato, yam or gourd? It's not limited to just Ube.
This time we will be using kalabasa or pumpkin to make this super flavorful halaya. The milks and Pumpkin Puree cooks down to a soft and lush jam that you can eat on it's own, spread on breads or even use as pie filling.
Versatility is the key here and it can even be used to make one of those Pumpkin Pie Spice Lattes that you see everywhere.
Ingredients
This is what you will need to make Pumpkin Halaya.
Pumpkin Puree - Use a whole can of pumpkin puree for this recipe. You can of course steam your own kalabasa from scratch. If you do that you will need 2 cups of it.
Evaporated Coconut Milk - You can use either regular or the coconut version of evaporated milk. We won't be adding any additional sugar so it's important to use evaporated milk.
Condensed Coconut Milk - You can use either regular or the coconut version of condensed milk. This is our main source of sugar for the recipe. So use the whole can!
Pumpkin Pie Spice - I used 2 tablespoons for this recipe. You can add more or less depending on how spicy you want it.
Butter - This just helps mellow the flavors and smooths out everything. You can use regular butter or the vegan kind.
How To Make Kalabasa Halaya
Here are the steps on how to make it.
Add the can of Pumpkin Puree, can of evaporated coconut milk, can of condensed milk and 2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice into a blender.
Blend until nice and smooth.
Pour the Kalabasa Halaya into a non stick pan. Then place on the stove with the heat on high. Have some water on hand, and possibly a counter stool so that you can sit while stirring for 1 hour.
A book or other entertainment will be handy as well. Just remember to always be checking on your mixture and stirring so that nothing sticks on the bottom of the pan.
Bring the mixture to a rapid bowl. This will take about 15 minutes.
After 30 minutes it will start to get darker and thicken. At this point turn the heat down to low to just let it simmer. Stir constantly so that it doesn't burn.
After 40 minutes, you can start to see the coconut oil starting to separate and the mixture is more reduced. Remember to keep stirring!
After an hour the Kalabasa Halaya is super reduced and now has the consistency of a spreadable jam.
Turn off the heat and then add a tablespoon of butter and stir until it's fully incorporated.
Then quickly transfer to a serving bowl or you can use a Llanera to mold it.
Leave on the counter to cool fully.
How to Serve Your Kalabasa Halaya
You can eat Kalabasa Halaya the same traditional way Ube Halaya is eaten in the Philippines. Just by the spoonful after dinner is all you need to satisfy having something sweet at the end of the meal.
We call that panghimagas. Just something small and sweet to close off a very good meal.
With any leftovers you can turn it into a pumpkin pie filling just by mixing it with some marscapone cheese and pouring it into a graham cracker crust.
You can also add a spoonful of Kalabasa Halaya into hot coffee and make a Pumpkin Pie Latte.
Basically any recipe that I have on my site using Ube Halaya you can replace with Kalabasa Halaya. Go have some fun with it.
How to Store
You can store any leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you wish to keep it longer you can freeze it in small portions using an ice tray and then transfer the frozen cubes into a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Don't forget to write the date you first froze the Kalabasa Halaya on the bag.
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Equipment
- Large Non Stick Pan
Ingredients
- 15 oz Pumpkin Puree (in can)
- 12.2 oz Coconut Evaporated Milk (in can)
- 11.25 oz Coconut Condensed Milk (in can)
- 2 Tablespoons Pumpkin Pie Spice Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
Instructions
- Add the can of Pumpkin Puree, can of evaporated coconut milk, can of condensed milk and 2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice into a blender.Blend until nice and smooth.
- Pour the Kalabasa Halaya into a non stick pan. Then place on the stove with the heat on high. Bring to a rapid boil. This will take about 15 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to low and keep constantly stirring and cook down for a further 45 minutes.
- Once the mixture has condensed down to a jammy consistency and has gotten dark and thick turn off the heat and stir in the butter.
- Quickly transfer to a serving bowl and cool fully at room temperature.
- Serve one tablespoon at a time on it's own or use as a spread.
- Store any leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you wish to keep it longer you can freeze it in small portions using an ice tray and then transfer the frozen cubes into a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
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