Fall is here!
Being born in October, Fall is indeed my favorite season of all. ( Well, aside from christmas time, but that is not an official season, so Fall it is).
I love when it's pouring and blowing outside, and I'm snuggled up inside with my Snuggie, my favorite pink knit socks, and a hot beverage. It can't get any cozier.
This is also the season of my favorite coffee ( aside from Peppermint Mocca Frappuchino):
PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE
Not a fan of Starbucks though. I do love all their fun flavors, I really do, but their stuff is said to be anything but healthy. Google pumpkin spice latte and the worst horror stories ingredient-wise come up. Are they true? I don't know.
Regardless, spending 5€ on one cup of coffee is ridiculous anyway. I prefer to make my own.
I use a Hokkaido pumpkin. It has such a wonderful nutty flavor, plus they're the healthiest kind of pumpkin one can find, and you can even eat its skin. Huge time-saver, and the skin is so full of vitamins and beta-carotene.
Bonus points if you grow your own pumpkin. I've tried for two years now, but sadly the plants always die, despite growing like crazy during summer and having gorgeous blooms.
Anyway. Let's cook.
I didn't take lots of photos during the process. And frankly, i hate it when I visit a blog and have to scroll past 25 visually unappealing photos of the same chicken thigh or soup before i get to the actual recipe. Dear Food Bloggers, you are all truly awesome, seriously! But round muffins are round muffins, and showing 360 photos from every possible angle doesn't make them look different :)
So, I'll keep it minimal here. Just read the single steps below. They are self-explaining, I hope.
1. Making Pumpkin Purree
Ingredients: 1/2 Pumpkin, 1 cup of water
1. Thoroughly wash your little pumpkin guy under warm water until the skin is spotlessly clean.
2. Cut the pumpkin into half, remove the seeds and surrounding goo with a spoon, then cut into bite-size pieces.
( keep the seeds, you can totally roast them)
3. Put those pieces in a small pot, add 1 cup of water and boil for 5-10 minutes. If necessary, add more water
4. Now blend until smooth
2. Making Syrup
Ingredients: 2 generous Tsp Pumpkin Puree, 2 generous Tsp of Xucker ( or your favorite sugar substitute instead), 1/2 cup water, 1 generous tbsp pumpkin spice, 1 pinch of turmeric just for fun
1. Put everything in a small pot.
2. Whisk, then boil for about 5 minutes until most of the water has dissolved, and it gets a creamy texture. Stirr occasionally
3. Let cool and fill into an airtight container
3. Making PSL ( ugh, finally)
1. Brew a strong coffee, or espresso if you want
2. Add 1-5 Tsp Pumpkin Syrup, depending on how psl-y you want your coffee to be. Stirr
3. Add some hot steamed milk
4. Top with whipped cream, more syrup and a pinch of ground cinnamon
Now everyone has a different taste when it comes to cooking, baking and living in general. But this is my blog, so here's are my two cents:
BUY local produce whenever possible. Support your region and local farmers. Quality is much higher due to regulations and certifications, and much shorter ways of transportation save this planet.
Buy certified coffee beans. Take those 5 minutes to visit the manufacturers website; see where their beans come from and if they run special programs that protect the environment, support better working conditions as well as controlled cultivation.
Try growing your own vegetables and fruit. It is so much fun, relaxing, and tastes so good. You really don't need a house with a big garden; you can grow tomatoes, cucumbers, and a variety of herbs on the smallest balcony or patio, or even on your window sill
Skip sugar!! It is devil's stuff and super unhealthy. Sure, I am guilty of eating chocolate etc, but 99% of what is cooked or baked in this household is absolutely sugar-free.
Ok, now go and enjoy our PSL!
Und hier nochmal kurz das Rezept auf deutsch.
1. Kürbispürre:
Hokkaido gründlich waschen, halbieren, die Kerne und Glibber entfernen. Dann in mundgerecht Stücke schneiden. In einem Kochtopf mit einer Tasse Tasse Wasser ca. 5-10 Minuten weich kochen. Anschließend pürrieren.
2. Kürbissirup:
Zwei großzügige Esslöffel Pürree mit 2 großzügigen Esslöffeln Xucker, einer halben Tasse Wasser, 1 Teelöffel Pumpkin Spice, und einer Prise Kurkuma in einem Kochtopf mischen. Ca 5 Minuten kochen lassen, bis das Wasser verdampft ist, und eine cremige Textur entsteht. Ab und zu mal umrühren. Anschließend in ein kleines Einmachglas füllen.
3. Für den PSL einen starken Kaffee oder Espresso kochen, 1-5 Teelöffel Syrup hineinrühren ( je nachdem wie sehr es danach schmecken soll). Heisse Milch aufschäumen, und dazu geben. Schlagsahne oben drauf, und zuletzt noch mit etwas Syrup und einer Prise Zimt dekorieren.
Lecker!