Ingredients:
8 cups pumpkin puree
4 cups sugar
1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 packet vanilla sugar
juice and zest of 4 lemons
Peel the pumpkin, slice it, wrap it in foil, and bake it in the oven until soft. Blend the pumpkin until smooth. Alternatively, cut the pumpkin into pieces with the skin on, place them in a dish with 1 inch of hot water, skin side down, cover with a lid, and microwave for 15 minutes. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon and mash it.
Mix all the ingredients and transfer them to a heavy-bottomed pot. Cover the pot, place it in a preheated oven set to about 150°F, and bake for 3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until the mixture becomes a thick, brownish, uniform mass.
Fill sterilized jars with the mixture and seal them with lids. It’s a favorite spread in England—often called a taste of childhood—and it has a delicate flavor with a hint of tartness and a memorable aroma, plus it’s healthy.
