This Beautiful Pumpkin Dessert Tastes Even Higher Than Pumpkin Pie

The one time you’ll discover me carving a pumpkin is to make sangkaya faktong, a conventional Thai dessert wherein a hollowed-out kabocha squash is crammed with a creamy pandan-scented coconut milk custard. Whereas we name it a squash in North America, kabocha in Japanese means pumpkin, which is translated to faktong in Thai. On this recipe, the entire gourd is cooked till tender and sliced into wedges like a pie. It’s historically steamed, however I discover that baking it at a gentle low temperature is less complicated, tastes higher, and ends in a prettier pumpkin for displaying off than when steamed—it is the proper dramatic centerpiece on your Thanksgiving desk or any festive event.

Whereas sangkaya faktong’s show-stopping presentation would possibly give the impression that it’s difficult to make, my model is definitely comparatively simple to assemble and cook dinner (apart from its prolonged hands-off baking time). It is a true “low effort, excessive reward” recipe that’s very best for serving to company. Right here’s the right way to assure a silky set custard encased in a young, completely baked pumpkin each time.

Choosing the Proper Pumpkin for Sangkaya Faktong

Can You Substitute Kabocha for One other Squash?

Individuals have requested me if they will make sangkaya faktong with a special winter squash than a kabocha. I’ve been across the pumpkin patch sufficient instances in my life and actually do assume kabocha is finest suited to this dish. It’s sweeter than different squashes (with a stunning chestnut be aware) however has a denser texture than, say, a sugar pumpkin, which could collapse earlier than the custard units resulting from its thinner, much less dense partitions. Plus, you may’t go unsuitable with the hanging distinction between kabocha’s deep inexperienced rind and vibrant orange flesh that’s showcased as soon as sliced.

The Greatest Pumpkin Dimension for Sangkaya Faktong

Many sangkaya faktong recipes aren’t precisely foolproof—telling you to regulate substances and cooking time relying on the scale of your pumpkin. Fortuitously, grocery shops and farmers markets have scales, and I like to recommend you employ one to discover a small kabocha that’s about two kilos. In case you observe my directions beneath with a roughly two-pound kabocha, you’ll get a wonderfully cooked and seasoned pumpkin and custard filling with little room for error. 

Baking vs. Steaming Sangkaya Faktong

Conventional sangkaya faktong recipes, together with recipes for a lot of different Thai desserts like kanom tuay and kanom chan, name for steaming the custard-filled pumpkin because the cooking methodology as a result of ovens weren’t widespread in households again within the day. Whereas older generations of Thai cooks are nonetheless much less prone to cook dinner with an oven (my mother makes use of hers for storage), I, a contemporary Thai-American cook dinner, embrace my oven. I discover that baking sangkaya faktong at a low regular temperature will get higher outcomes. 

Steaming may cause the pumpkin flesh to get waterlogged and cut up—one of many principal causes individuals assume this dish is a ache to make. Steaming on the stovetop additionally requires fixed monitoring and extra care to maintain a gentle warmth degree. Whereas baking takes longer, it’s extra hands-off and ends in caramelized and buttery pumpkin flesh that is great when eaten with the marginally candy and creamy custard. Baking the custard inside a pumpkin additionally insulates it behind the kabocha’s thick, moist partitions, so there’s minimal danger of overcooking the custard. Whether or not steamed or baked, the custard is protected against drastic temperature modifications contained in the pumpkin.

As soon as the pumpkin is baked, you’ll be tempted to tuck into it immediately, nevertheless it’s vital to attend at the least half-hour earlier than slicing into this masterpiece so the custard has time to chill and set correctly. This ensures the proper wedge of tender, creamy squash crammed with wealthy custard. This dessert is equally scrumptious heat, at room temperature, and chilled—some individuals assume it tastes finest chilly, so when you have any leftovers, simply get pleasure from them straight out of the fridge.