Photo courtesy of Café Panache
Your tried-and-true apple pie is always a hit during Thanksgiving, but could this be the year you treat guests to something different? If you’re thinking of changing the Turkey Day menu or simply looking for a new sweet to serve this season, chef Michael Matonti of Ramsey’s Café Panache has the dish for you.
Chef Matonti, who trained at the former French Culinary Institute in Manhattan and enjoyed stints at the Saddle River Inn and River Vale Country Club, shares his recipe for an unforgettable pumpkin panna cotta with pumpkin-seed brittle. Here are the step-by-step directions:
Pumpkin Panna Cotta
Serves 6, depending on the size of the glass
Ingredients
- ¼ oz. envelope unflavored powdered gelatin
- ¼ tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. ground cloves
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin purée
Instructions
To start, let the gelatin soak in ¼ cup of milk for 15 minutes.
In a medium-sized pot on medium low heat, whisk together milk with gelatin, remaining milk, heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt and canned pumpkin purée.
Stir in ground ginger, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon. While whisking, bring the mixture to 205–210°F but not boiling.
Remove from heat and divide the mixture into six wine glasses. Tap on the table once or twice to remove any air bubbles.
Refrigerate to set (about three to four hours, wrapping them in plastic wrap as soon as they cool).
Pumpkin-Seed Brittle
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 10 Tbs. light corn syrup
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds, raw
- 1 Tbs. butter
- ¾ tsp. baking soda
Instructions
In a medium pot, stir together sugar, water, corn syrup and salt, being careful not to splash it up the sides.
Bring mixture to a boil. If sugar crystals do splash up the sides, run a clean pastry brush or paper towel dipped in cold water around the sides until they are clean.
Be sure to do this just as the mixture comes to a simmer so as not to risk crystallizing the cooking sugar with the side granules.
Cook to golden brown caramel. It should be amber-colored. It should not still look yellow.
Remove from heat, whisk in butter followed by baking soda, then pumpkin seeds.
Pour onto a nonstick silicone baking mat. You can also pour it onto parchment paper.
Spread with an offset spatula sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Allow to cool. Break into pieces for garnish.
Add CTA: What’s your go-to Thanksgiving dessert recipe? Share it with us on Instagram @njhomemag.