Recipe for Calabaza en Tacha (Mexican Candied Pumpkin)

When my sisters and I were growing up, my parents would frequently find ways to turn the seemingly garbage parts of fruits and vegetables into something else. We planted apple seeds in paper towels, turned lemon and orange rinds into slightly bitter candies, and we had a compost bin until we moved to an apartment. Perhaps most memorably, every Halloween we took our Jack o Lantern innards and separated the seeds onto two large pans to roast in the oven. One tray of seeds would be heavily dusted with cinnamon sugar and the other with cayenne pepper, salt, and lime. 

This is not a recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds, though they do make a tasty topping for this delightful treat. My family has lived in the south of Mexico for six years, and in honor of their love for cooking candied fruit, I am sharing this traditional Mexican recipe for candied pumpkin, or calabaza en tacha. 

Check out our Culinary Vacations in Mexico!

Calabaza en tacha is a typical food served during Dia de los Muertos celebrations on November 1st. It consists of soft cooked pumpkin in a sweet cinnamon syrup, and is often placed on altars during Dia de los Muertos and even eaten with milk at breakfast during the autumn months. 

The Culinary Traditions and Altars of Dia de los Muertos in Mexico

The dish gets its name from the squash that it is traditionally cooked with, calabaza de castilla, which is a lighter squash with a tougher rind than regular pumpkin. A typical orange pumpkin cut into smaller pieces will serve equally well for this recipe.‘Tacha’ refers to the large copper pots called tachos, in which Piloncillo was traditionally made. Piloncillo is essentially a solid block or cone of molasses. The calabaza would be cooked in the sweet residue left on the tachos, thus “Calabaza en Tacha.”

Around the USA, piloncillo cones can sometimes be found in the International food section at the grocery store or smaller Mexican grocers. If piloncillo is not available, you can substitute it for brown sugar. 

Calabaza en Tacha Recipe

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 medium pumpkin (about 5 lb), or similar winter squash.
• 1 sliced orange
• 2 cones of piloncilo, or 1lb of brown sugar
• 4 cups of water
• 3-4 cinnamon sticks

Optional:

• 2 Star Anise
• Pinch of allspice

Preparation:

1. Cut up your pumpkin.

For best results, cut the stem off of the pumpkin, then cut the pumpkin in half crosswise. Scrape out the seeds and stringy parts, saving seeds to make pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds), if you would like. Leave the rind on and cut each piece in half horizontally until you have 8 to 10 long strips of pumpkin. You can leave the pumpkin in strips or cut it into smaller pieces.

2. Zest and juice your orange.

Zest your orange first, then slice it lengthwise to juice it. Set aside juice and zest but throw the peels away. 

3. Cook the syrup. 

Combine piloncillo cones (or brown sugar), water, orange zest and juice, and cinnamon sticks in a large pot. Now is the time to add the star anise and allspice if you so choose. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. The piloncillo cones will eventually dissolve into the mixture.

4. Add the pumpkin.

Place the pumpkin rind-side down in the pot and cover it. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the pumpkin is tender; about one hour. For best results, cook uncovered for the last 20 minutes so that the syrup is reduced to a glaze. 

This dish is best served in warm milk and sprinkled with pepitas, but it is also delicious with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or by itself. You can also add chopped pecans or pine nuts or a drizzle of condensed milk. 

Check out these other fun pumpkin-based recipes for fall:

• Fall Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Salad
• Pumpkin “Capuccino” from a Tuscan Cooking Vacation (Note that this recipe contains no coffee and is actually for a uniquely cheesy and creamy pumpkin soup!)
• Amaretto Pumpkin Pie

By Chloe Dubisch

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