Candied Squash (Guatemalan recipe)

Helga Glaesel de BlandingOctober 27, 2020

This post is also available in / Esta entrada también está disponible en ESPAÑOL (SPANISH)

Candied squash is a typical end-of-the-year dessert in several Central American countries, specifically, we eat it on November 1, which is when the Day of the Dead is celebrated. On that day the families get together to eat Fiambre and for dessert, the squash is usually served as a sweet dessert.

We add cinnamon, ginger, allspice, clove, and orange to our recipe, but you can modify the recipe so that it has all or only some of the spices and aromatics, each person has their own preference, and some people do not like ginger in it, for example.

The panela, also known as piloncillo or rapadura, gives a specific taste to this dessert. For a medium squash use the full square they sell it in 1 lb squares like the one you see in the photo. The amount of water for a medium squash should not be more than 2 ½ cups, otherwise, the syrup will not be sweet enough and the squash will not have as much flavor.

Helga

Guatemalan Candied Squash

A Foodies’ Kitchen original recipe
Recipe for 1 medium squash

Ingredients:
1 medium squash
1 piece of panela (1 lb.)
2 ½ cups of water
10 allspice grains
5 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 to 4 wheels of fresh ginger
1 Seville orange

Directions:

First, wash and cut the squash into small pieces, leaving the skin on.
Place all the ingredients, except the orange, in a large pot over medium heat, and cover. Let it cook for 1 hour, the idea is that the squash is steamed and absorbs the panela and spices, it is not necessary to add so much water because the squash releases liquid.
In the last 20 minutes of cooking time, add the orange cut in quarters.
Let cool to room temperature and serve. Keep refrigerated.

Have you made this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture with the hashtag #thefoodieskitchen!

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