Thursday, October 31, 2013

Pumpkin Bars


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This season I made my own pumpkin puree from sugar pumpkins.  I always just use pumpkin puree from a can but this year my friend, Marti (Hi Marti) told me how easy it is to make your own pumpkin puree.  The only pumpkins I could find to make puree with was the Sugar Pumpkin however next year I am going to find out what pumpkins Marti uses and try those.


My puree is a light orange/yellow color.  My pumpkin bars are not as dark as usual but the batter did darken up after I added my spices.  I will say these pumpkin bars are the best I have ever made.  I really do think you can tell the difference with using homemade pumpkin puree vs canned.  These bars are really moist but not as strong of a taste as pumpkin bars made with canned pumpkin.


If you are interested in making your own Pumpkin Puree all you need to do is the following.........

cut pumpkins in half and remove the seeds and stringy goop from inside your pumpkins (keep the seeds if you like to make roasted pumpkin seeds, I have not done mine yet but I did save them)

scrape out each side of the pumpkin to remove any remaining goop.

lay pumpkins inside down on a baking sheet and bake in a 375 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours or until the inside of the pumpkin is tender.

let pumpkins cool and then scrape out the flesh and either puree or mash it.  I put mine through a food mill to get it nice and pureed.


Since I did 2 pumpkins I have extra to freeze.  I just put it in airtight containers and will freeze it until I am ready to use in my Holiday treats.  ( the orange/yellow in square dishes is the pumpkin puree the taller dishes have my apple sauce that I am also putting in the freezer for a winter treat)

Pumpkin Bars

bars:
2 eggs
3/4 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup oil
1 Cup pumpkin puree
1 Cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
Glaze:
2 Cup powdered sugar
3 Tablespoon whipping cream (or milk)
1 Tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.  Mix in the oil and pumpkin.  Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix well.  Pour into a greased 13 x 9.625 ( this is a quarter of a sheet cake pan) Bake for 25 minutes or until done.  When cool ice the bars with the glaze.

Glaze....... With a mixer, mix all the glaze ingredients together and pour over the bars smoothing glaze out with a spatula.