Name: Baked Pumpkin with Corn and Apple Pudding
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 100 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup cornmeal; 3/4 cup pine nuts; 4 4-inch pumpkins or 1 (8-inch) pumpkin; 3 tart green apples; 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice; 1/2 cup of milk or soymilk; 1 cup mixed dried fruit (such as apricots, peaches, plums, cherries and cranberries); 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey; 1/4 teaspoon ground mace (optional); 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

With pumpkin, apples and dried fruit, this cornmeal pudding is the essence of autumn cooking. Try this delicious dessert when you want to make something different than pumpkin pie.

Baked Pumpkin with Corn and Apple Pudding

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 40

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Servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup pine nuts
4 4-inch pumpkins or 1 (8-inch) pumpkin
3 tart green apples
1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
1/2 cup of milk or soymilk
1 cup mixed dried fruit such as apricots, peaches, plums, cherries and cranberries
1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
1/4 teaspoon ground mace optional
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.Spread the cornmeal on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 8-10 minutes to dry.Remove from oven and decrease heat to 350 degrees F.
Spread the pine nuts on a baking sheet and place in oven for 10-12 minutes, until toasted.
To prepare the pumpkins, cut around the pumpkin stems, leaving an inch of pumpkin around the stems, and remove the tops. Scrape out the seeds and reserve for another use.Set the pumpkins in a baking dish. (If you are using a single, large pumpkin, prick the flesh with a fork to facilitate faster cooking).
Place the apples, cider and milk (or soymilk) in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, and then decrease the heat to medium. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the apples are very tender.
Pass through a fine-mesh sieve and return the liquid to the saucepan.
Place the apples in a blender and process until smooth (or pass them through a food mill fitted with a medium-sized plate).
Return the apple puree to the saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cornmeal, dried furit, syrup, mace, allspice, and cinnamon and mix with a spoon. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes. Add the pine nuts and mix well.
Distribute the pudding evenly among the pumpkin(s) and replace the pumpkin top(s).Place the baking dish in the oven and add about an inch of water to the dish.
Bake for 35-40 minutes for individual pumpkins, 45-55 minutes for the large pumpkin, until the pumpkin if fork-tender.
The pudding may tremble when removed from the oven, but should set to a creamy consistency when cooled slightly before serving. Serve warm.