Great on the table to accompany breakfast
pastries or dinner breads and muffins, or use it in the kitchen
when preparing turkey, ham or other pork dishes. This wonderful
butter adds richness and flavor to sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips
and beets.
Pumpkin Five-Spice
Butter
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room
temperature
1/3 cup canned or fresh pumpkin purée, strained (to remove
any excess water)
1 tablespoon orange or lemon zest, finely grated
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder*
Salt to taste
-
- Optional: Confectioners’ sugar or
honey powder for sweeter applications;
- Optional: 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- Place the butter in a medium mixing bowl
and with an electric mixer (fitted with a paddle) or wooden spoon,
beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides.
- Add pumpkin purée, zest and five-spice
powder, scrapping down the sides of the bowl, and beat to incorporate
all ingredients. Taste for five-spice powder and salt. Add confectioners’
sugar if desired.
- Stir in nuts if desired, and taste again
for salt.
- Scrape into a small bowl, serving crock
or butter molds and cover tightly; or shape into a long roll
in grease-proof paper (plastic, wax or parchment) for storing
and slicing as needed.
Makes about 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cups.
*Bottled five-spice powder can often be
found at supermarkets, specialty food stores or in Asian markets.
Recipe and photograph provided courtesy
of Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.
