Spiced Pepita Brittle and Pumpkin Panna Cotta

Happy belated Thanksgiving, everyone! This year, I was fortunate enough to have not only one but two Thanksgivings, so I'm still stuffed to the brim. I hope everyone's Thanksgivings were equally as delicious!

I'm so pleased to announce that I will be doing recurring recipe features over the next few months on the Anthology Magazine Blog! I got to work with Anthology last year for their gift guide, and I'm excited to be a part of that world again. It's a wonderful lifestyle and design mag, if you haven't seen it yet. This month's recipe is a spiced pepita brittle and pumpkin panna cotta--a balance of sweet and savory and light and creamy for the holidays. Click on over to the Anthology blog for the recipe!

Read on for recipe....


Pumpkin panna cotta

for pumpkin puree

1 small pumpkin

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Split the pumpkin in half. Scoop out and discard the stringy pulp and seeds. Place the pumpkin halves face down on a baking sheet with sides. Bake for one hour until fork-tender. Remove from the oven and let cool. Scoop out the pumpkin flesh and puree in a food processor until very smooth.

for panna cotta

2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 vanilla bean
6 Tbsp water
4¼ tsp powdered gelatin
½ cup dark brown sugar

If unmolding the panna cotta, lightly grease the insides of eight ramekins or glasses with a neutral-flavored oil.

Whisk to combine the milk, cream, pumpkin puree, and ground cinnamon in a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise. Scrape the seeds into the milk mixture and then add the entire pod. Over medium heat, bring the milk mixture to a simmer, stirring gently with a spatula. Once at a simmer, remove from heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let steep for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place the water in a large bowl, and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the water. Let sit for 5 minutes. Return the milk mixture to medium heat. Add the sugar and cook just until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm. Pour the milk mixture through a fine mesh sieve over the gelatin. (Discard the remaining vanilla pod.) Stir until the gelatin has completely dissolved. Divide into eight ramekins or glasses, cover with plastic wrap, and let chill until set, at least 4 hours.

To unmold, briefly submerge the bottoms of the ramekins in warm water, run a thin knife along the sides, and invert onto a plate. Serve with brittle.

Note: canned pumpkin puree is often denser than homemade, so it is recommended that homemade pumpkin puree be used here.

Yields about eight 3 to 4-oz. servings


Spiced pepita brittle

for spiced pepitas

2 cups pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
½ tsp vegetable oil
¼ tsp paprika
¼ - ½ tsp chipotle pepper powder (adjust spice level as desired)
¼ tsp garam masala, optional
¼ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, toss together the pepitas, vegetable oil, spices, and salt. Spread the pepitas onto a baking sheet. Bake for 5 - 7 minutes, until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and set aside.

for brittle

2 cups sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
½ tspn baking soda
1 Tbspn flaked salt (Maldon, preferably)

Prepare a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. In a light-colored saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Pour the water into the saucepan and swirl around until all of the sugar is wet. Add more water, if necessary. Cook the sugar mixture over medium high heat. During the beginning of cooking, do not stir, but swirl the pan around to ensure even cooking. Once the mixture starts turning golden, stir occasionally. Cook until the mixture is golden amber brown. Remove from heat immediately and whisk in the baking soda, being careful because the mixture will bubble. Working quickly, fold in the spiced pepitas and spread the hot sugar onto the prepared lined baking sheet, smoothing with a spatula, if needed. Sprinkle with flaked salt. Let cool completely for at least 30 minutes. Break into pieces as desired. Store at room temperature in an airtight container with parchment between each piece if not serving immediately.