Pumpkin Maple Butter

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs fresh pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 2 cups water, scant
• 1 orange, juice and zest of
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 3 1/2 cups granulated sugar, warmed

Recipe

• 1 put the pumpkin in a pot with water and cook for 30-40 minutes, until it is very tender. drain, and using the back of a spoon, press the cooked pumpkin through a fine sieve into a bowl.
• 2 stir the orange zest and juice, cinnamon, and maple syrup into the puree, then measure the puree into a large pot, adding 1 1/3 cups of warmed sugar for every 2 1/2 cups of puree.
• 3 gently heat the puree, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. increase the heat and boil for ten to twenty minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture forms a thick puree that holds its shape when spooned on to a cold plate.
• 4 spoon the butter into small warm and sterilized jars. seal. let cool completely in an area free of drafts. label, then store in a cool, dark place for 2 days before eating.
• 5 note: one large can of pumpkin with the other ingredients equals about 4 cups, so i used about 2 cups of sugar. (please don't comment if my math is wrong :) , but this did work). this made 4 1/2 small jars; the half jar i let cool completely and was going to keep in the fridge as it wouldn't have a good enough seal, but someone found it and ate it on toast before this could happen -- also, i didn't boil it for the full 20 minutes, ten was fine, but i'm sure with fresh pumpkin the full 20 would probably be needed.