Doce de Abóbora em Calda (Brazilian Pumpkin Cubes in Syrup)
Neat cubes of pumpkin soaked briefly in limewater, then simmered for two hours in a light sugar syrup and left to steep overnight, so they turn glassy and sweet while staying firm, the Brazilian way.
Embrapa, Brazil's federal agricultural research corporation, publishes the dish as a step-by-step leaflet from its Clima Temperado research center in Pelotas, in the far south. It reminds readers that the pumpkin is an American plant, eaten by the Aztec, Inca and Maya, and widely grown in Brazil (Ana Cristina Richter Krolow, "Doce de Abóbora em Cubos: Passo a passo", Embrapa Clima Temperado, February 2010:). The trick is lime: the cubes sit in a solution of hydrated lime (cal) for about an hour before cooking, which firms the outside so the cubes hold their shape through a long simmer in syrup. Brazilian home cooks also make a soft doce de abóbora, mashed and often cooked with grated coconut; we found that version only on recipe-sharing sites, so it appears here as a tip.
Why it works the kitchen science
Limewater
Calcium from the lime firms the pectin in the outer layer of each cube, so the cube stays whole and slightly crisp outside during more than two hours of boiling while the inside turns soft and glassy.
Long, gentle syrup and a 24-hour rest
A light syrup soaks in slowly and evenly; a heavy syrup at the start would shrivel the outside before the center sweetened.
Step by step
- Step 1
Wash the pumpkin, peel it, scrape out the seeds and cut the flesh into even cubes about 1 inch (2 to 3.5 cm) on a side. Weigh out 1 kg.
- Step 2
Stir the pickling lime into the cold water in a large glass, stainless steel or food-grade plastic bowl (not aluminum). Add the cubes and leave them for 1 hour, stirring once or twice.
- Step 3
Drain, rinse the cubes very well under running water, then cover them with fresh water and soak 1 hour. Drain, rinse and soak again, three soaks in all. Prick each cube a few times with a fork.
- Step 4
Stir the sugar into the 2.1 liters of water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the cubes, lower the heat to medium and keep the syrup at a steady gentle boil for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the cubes look translucent all the way through.
- Step 5
Turn off the heat and let the cubes cool in the syrup, about 1 hour, then cover the pot (or move everything to a covered container) and refrigerate for 24 hours so the cubes keep absorbing sugar.
- Step 6
Serve the cubes cold or at room temperature with a spoonful of their syrup. Keep them covered in their syrup in the refrigerator and eat within 2 weeks (our cautious guideline, since we skip Embrapa's canning step).
Doce de Abóbora em Calda (Brazilian Pumpkin Cubes in Syrup)
Serves 8 · about 1 kg pumpkin cubes in syrup · 3 hr total
Pumpkin
- About 3 1/4 lb ripe pumpkin or firm winter squash, to give 1 kg (2.2 lb) peeled, seeded cubes
Limewater
- 100 g food-grade pickling lime (calcium hydroxide)
- 2 liters (8 1/2 cups) cold water
Syrup
- 900 g (4 1/2 cups) sugar
- 2.1 liters (about 9 cups) water
Method
- Wash the pumpkin, peel it, scrape out the seeds and cut the flesh into even cubes about 1 inch (2 to 3.5 cm) on a side. Weigh out 1 kg.
- Stir the pickling lime into the cold water in a large glass, stainless steel or food-grade plastic bowl (not aluminum). Add the cubes and leave them for 1 hour, stirring once or twice.
- Drain, rinse the cubes very well under running water, then cover them with fresh water and soak 1 hour. Drain, rinse and soak again, three soaks in all. Prick each cube a few times with a fork.
- Stir the sugar into the 2.1 liters of water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the cubes, lower the heat to medium and keep the syrup at a steady gentle boil for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the cubes look translucent all the way through.
- Turn off the heat and let the cubes cool in the syrup, about 1 hour, then cover the pot (or move everything to a covered container) and refrigerate for 24 hours so the cubes keep absorbing sugar.
- Serve the cubes cold or at room temperature with a spoonful of their syrup. Keep them covered in their syrup in the refrigerator and eat within 2 weeks (our cautious guideline, since we skip Embrapa's canning step).
Adapted from Embrapa Clima Temperado's "Doce de Abóbora em Cubos: Passo a passo" (February 2010), as written for 1 kg of pumpkin cubes. Embrapa uses a 5 to 10% hydrated lime solution for about an hour; we use the low end, 100 g lime in 2 liters of water. Embrapa says 3 liters of 30% sugar syrup for each kilogram of cubes; we read 30% by weight (900 g sugar in about 2.1 liters water), which is our interpretation. Embrapa then packs the cubes in jars under a fresh 25% syrup and heat-processes them for 15 minutes; we skip the canning step and keep the dessert in the refrigerator. The lime-rinsing routine (three 1-hour soaks) is the National Center for Home Food Preservation's rule for limed pickles, as quoted by University of Illinois Extension. The serving count is ours. Embrapa. Ingredient list follows the source; the method is in our own words.
All sources (2)
Tips
- Skip the lime if you can't find it; the cubes will be softer and some edges will break down into jam. It still tastes good.
- The soft style: home cooks mash the cooked pumpkin with sugar, add grated coconut, cloves or a cinnamon stick and cook it down to a thick paste. We did not find a reputable published recipe to adapt for it.
- Try it with a slice of fresh white cheese (our suggestion; not from Embrapa).
- Buy pickling lime where canning supplies are sold and keep it away from children; it is caustic before it is diluted and rinsed.
The rules people argue about
What the sources agree on, what they don't, and what is just a good story.
- Lime makes the cubes stay firm. Documented as Embrapa's method (cubes soaked in a 5 to 10% hydrated lime solution before cooking).
- Limed food must be rinsed well. Documented (National Center for Home Food Preservation, via University of Illinois Extension; Embrapa also says to wash the cubes thoroughly).
- Doce de abóbora must have coconut. Folklore: the coconut version is a popular home style; Embrapa's recipe is only pumpkin and sugar.
- It is a Festa Junina sweet. Folklore here: often said, but we did not find a reputable source for it, so do not use it.
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