Here at food52, there's only one answer to the "Trick or treat?" dilemma. So we'd love to know what festive sweets you'll be serving to your costumed guests, young or old. We're mostly looking for homemade candies here, but wouldn't turn down a good popcorn ball or caramel apple.
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We used organic canned pumpkin, but use homemade if you have it.
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The pumpkin, cream and spices get heated to just below boiling. Looks good enough to drink!
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Toasting the pepitas really brings out their nutty flavor -- we couldn't stop munching on them!
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After we put the sugar and maple syrup in the pot, we noticed that it reminded us of making maple candy in the snow.
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Cheese1227 is very precise with temperatures and instructions, which is helpful when making candy: first, you heat the sugar and syrups to 244 degrees.
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In the meantime, Amanda uses a nifty trick to line the baking dish with parchment. Watch our upcoming video to see how it's done!
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She cuts diagonal slits in each of the corners of a square of paper, when then allows the paper to fold over itself and fit snugly into the corners of the dish.
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Curious eyes look on as Merrill butters the paper so that the caramel doesn't stick.
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When adding the hot pumpkin and cream mixture to the sugar, you should work slowly and carefully, whisking all the time -- this is one of those times when having another set of hands really helps out.
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As cheese1227 explain, returning the candy to 240 degrees once you've added the pumpkin and cream can take a while -- it took us about 20 minutes.
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Amanda tips the toasted pepitas into the pan, to form the bottom (later, the top) layer of the caramels.
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The candy thickens, and the pumpkin color intensifies as it cooks down.
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Once you reach 240 degrees, in go some butter and a splash of lemon juice.
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Another time when four hands are better than two...
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After the caramel has cooled a little in the pan, we added a generous sprinkling of sea salt.
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We gently patted in the salt to make sure it would stick.
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After waiting impatiently for a couple of hours for it to set completely, we turned the candy out of the dish.
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The paper peels back easily, revealing a gorgeous candy mosiac.
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It slices beautifully -- use a sharp knife, and dip it in hot water if you need to (we didn't).
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Peanuts, Jack Daniels, pancetta, popcorn, peppercorns, and maple syrup.
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Cubing the pancetta (which we did before browning it). Tiny tiny!
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We used dry-roasted Planters peanuts -- use whatever kind you like.
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Measuring the Jack Daniels. One-quarter cup for the recipe, one-quarter cup for me...
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Browning the pancetta. It won't release the majority of its fat until it's starting to brown.
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Pouring the corn into the pancetta fat (supplemented with a little vegetable oil).
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Warming the corn before putting on the lid and shaking the pan.
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The browned pancetta.
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The popcorn has popped and now it's time to make the syrup.
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Butter, maple syrup, and Jack Daniels.
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After emulsifying the sauce, you season it with pepper.
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Combining the alliterative trio: popcorn, pancetta and peanuts.
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You should add the syrup in a thin stream while folding together the popcorn mixture -- if someone is around to help, put them to work. You don't want to let the popcorn melt.
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Spreading it on a baking sheet.
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Toasted!
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Right?
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