Canned Pumpkin Recipes:
Easy Pumpkin Mousse

This makes an attractive - and healthy - dessert. It is especially delicious served with whipped cream.

Silken tofu is often found in the produce section of the supermarket.

Pumpkins are often plentiful and very inexpensive in the fall. Buy several, cook them and freeze them for use throughout the year.

I've tried baking, boiling and steaming pumpkin, and I recommend steaming. See "Tips" for steaming instructions.

• in the cupboard
  • lemon juice
  • vanilla
  • cinnamon
  • ground ginger
  • ground cloves
  • salt

• in the fridge or freezer
  • soft silken tofu
  • maple syrup
  • bottled lemon juice
  • canned pumpkin

Get out your equipment

• Essential
  • a food processor or heavy duty blender
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • scissors or kitchen shears (for opening the tofu package)
  • can opener
  • spatula
  
  
  

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  The recipe

  1 package (12 oz/340 g) soft silken tofu

  1/4 cup/60 mL maple syrup

  2 Tbsp/30 mL lemon juice

  1 tsp/5 mL vanilla

  1/2 tsp/2 mL cinnamon

  1/4 tsp/1 mL ground ginger

  a pinch of ground cloves

  a pinch of salt

  1 can (28 oz/796 mL) pumpkin

  Place all ingredients in a blender.
  Purée until smooth.
  Cover tightly and chill for several hours.
  
  

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  Substitutions
  • Use medium or firm silken tofu instead of soft.

  • Use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of bottled.

  • Use fresh pumpkin instead of canned.. You'll need 3 cups/750 mL of cooked and mashed pumpkin. (See "Tips".)

  Ideas for making this recipe your own

  • Experiment with the spices. Instead of, or as well as, the cinnamon, how about using nutmeg, or allspice?

  • Try another sweetener, like honey, instead of the maple syrup.

  Tips

  • To steam a pumpkin:
    • There's no need to peel the pumpkin.
    • Cut off the top and scoop out the seeds and pulp as though you were preparing to make a jack-o-lantern.
    • Cut the shell into chunks.
    • Put the chunks into a steamer basket.
    • Steam vigorously until very tender - about 30 to 45 minutes.
    • Let sit until cool enough to handle, and then peel off the skin and discard.
    • Mash the cooked pumpkin.
    • Freeze in small containers.
  
  
  

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  If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like these other canned pumpkin recipes:
  • Pumpkin Pancakes
  • Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
    
    

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