Pumpkin Fondue…Baked in a Pumpkin!
It’s true. We’re kind of on a kick with baking and serving things in apples, pumpkins, and mini pies this autumn. It’s hard to resist snacks and treats that are has handy and lovely to look at as they are delicious. Case in point is today’s bit of scrumptiousness: Creamy Pumpkin Fondue Baked in a Pumpkin!
Ingredients:
– 1 small sugar pumpkin
– 15-inch baguette, cut into 1/2 inch slices
– 1/3 lb Emmentaler cheese, rind removed and shredded
– 1/3 lb Gruyere cheese, rind removed and shredded
– 1 tbsp flour or cornstarch
– 1 tbsp olive oil
– 1 garlic clove, minced
– salt + pepper
– 1/2 cup heavy cream
– 1/2 cup broth (chicken or veggie)
– 2 tbsp dry white wine
– 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
– 1/2 tsp dry mustard
– pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
– paprika (for garnish)
– onion powder + garlic powder (for roasting pumpkin seeds)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange 8-10 baguette slices on sheet pan and bake until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Cool and crumble into bread crumbs.
Meanwhile, cut a 3-inch circle around pumpkin stem and remove top. Scrape out pumpkin seeds and fibers from interiors and tops. (Save the seeds to make roasted pumpkin seeds!) Mix olive oil and garlic and rub on the inside of the pumpkin. Season with salt and pepper.
Reduce oven to 350 degrees. Place pumpkin on a sheet pan and roast for about 20-30 minutes. [UPDATE: If needed, you can skip this step entirely or roast for less time with smaller pumpkins]
Whisk cream, broth, nutmeg, dry mustard, wine, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Freshly grated nutmeg is best – we recommend this Microplane Grate and Shake.
Place shredded cheeses in a large ziplock bag with flour or cornstarch and shake to coat cheese.
Remove pumpkin from oven and stuff by making 3 layers in each pumpkin in the following order: toasted bread crumbs, cheese, cream mixture. Repeat until pumpkin is filled. Depending on the size of the pumpkin, you might not use all of the cheese or cream.
Cap pumpkin and roast for another hour. Stir and continue cooking if necessary.
Optional Step: Rinse the seeds, and allow to dry. Mist with olive oil and season with sea salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Roast in the oven and sprinkle a few over the top of the fondue when you serve it.
When everything is melted and pumpkin is tender, remove and arrange on a platter with remaining baguette slices. Sprinkle with paprika and roasted pumpkin seeds (if using). (If you are a huge dork like me, you have pumpkin shaped cheese spreaders perfect for this type of occasion.)
Make sure to scrape out some of that yummy pumpkin when you load up your piece of bread. So good!
Stay tuned for more yummy Halloween treats all October long. And let us know your favorite Halloween treats and DIY projects by talking to us in the comments below.
Jaymee Sire is an Emmy-award winning television reporter CSN Bay Area. When she isn’t covering a sporting event, her true passion is food. Check out Jaymee’s alphabet-themed food blog, E is for Eat, and be sure to follow her on Twitter & Facebook.
