Doce de abóbora is a Portuguese pumpkin jam, a soft, spoonable preserve made by cooking pumpkin with sugar, cinnamon and lemon peel until it turns deep amber. It is a traditional way of using pumpkin in autumn, and it also serves as a filling for Portuguese pastries and sweets such as Azevias de Grão (recipe on the site).
The jam is typically eaten on toast, with fresh cheese (queijo fresco), or as a simple dessert with walnuts. Pumpkin is also used across Portuguese Christmas baking, as in Sonhos de Abóbora and Velhoses de Abóbora (recipes on the site).
Pumpkin holds a lot of water, so the cooking is slow and the pot is stirred often. A strip of lemon zest and a cinnamon stick are the usual flavorings, and they keep the sweetness from tasting flat.
Doce de Abóbora Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds peeled, seeded pumpkin (from a 3-pound sugar pumpkin; kabocha or butternut squash also work), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 wide strips lemon zest
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts, for serving (optional)
- Fresh cheese, ricotta or toast, for serving
Instructions
- Combine the pumpkin and water in a wide, heavy pot. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is very soft.
- Mash the pumpkin with a potato masher, leaving a few small pieces for texture.
- Add the sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon zest and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 30 to 35 minutes, until the mixture is thick, glossy and deep golden, and a spoon dragged across the bottom of the pot leaves a clear trail.
- Stir in the lemon juice and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon zest.
- Cool for 15 minutes, then transfer to clean jars or an airtight container. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with walnuts if desired.
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