01
Cut the pumpkin
Cut the 300 g of peeled pumpkin into small, even cubes, so they all cook in the same time.
Tip: Cubes of about 2 cm soften faster and are easier to blend.
SOFIDRINKINI
Drinkini
Pumpkin Spice Syrup
Prep10 min
Cooking30–35 min
Keeps7–10 days
MakesAbout 15–20 drinks
Method
02
Cook the pumpkin with the spices
Put the pumpkin in a pan with about 50 ml of water, the star anise and the 5–6 whole cloves. Cover with a lid and cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then. If the pumpkin dries out before it is soft, add a little water at a time.
Tip: Any water you add should come from the recipe’s 300 ml total.
03
Remove the whole spices
When the pumpkin is very soft and mashes easily with a fork, carefully remove the star anise and all the cloves.
Tip: Count the cloves before adding them, so it is easier to make sure you have taken them all out.
04
Make the purée
Move the pumpkin and any remaining liquid into a tall container and blend until completely smooth.
Tip: If needed, add just a spoonful of the water you set aside to help it blend.
05
Make the syrup base
Pour the rest of the 300 ml of water into a small saucepan. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, pinch of salt and vanilla extract. Stir and bring to a gentle boil.
Tip: If you used more than 50 ml of water to cook the pumpkin, subtract it from the water that goes into the pan.
06
Cook the syrup
Once it reaches a gentle boil, cook the syrup base for 5 minutes, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Tip: Keep it at a gentle boil so the water does not evaporate too quickly.
07
Add the pumpkin purée
Add the pumpkin purée to the syrup base and stir well until evenly combined.
Tip: Use a hand whisk to work in the purée without leaving lumps.
08
Finish cooking
Let the syrup simmer over low heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring often so it does not stick to the bottom.
Tip: The syrup should thicken slightly, but remember it gets thicker as it cools.
09
Choose the texture
Turn off the heat. For a thinner, smoother syrup, strain it while still hot through a fine-mesh sieve. If you prefer a creamier, fuller texture, you can leave it as it is.
Tip: Do not press the pulp through the sieve too much if you want a particularly smooth syrup.
10
Transfer to a container
Pour the still-hot syrup into a perfectly clean bottle or jar. Let it cool, close it and put it in the fridge.
Tip: Stir or shake the syrup before using it, because the pumpkin can settle at the bottom.
11
Make the Pumpkin Spice Latte Macchiato
Put 40 g of Pumpkin Spice Syrup in the bottom of the glass. For the hot version, add 180–200 ml of hot frothed milk; for the iced version, add ice and cold milk. Slowly pour in an espresso and finish with a dusting of cinnamon.
Tip: Pouring the espresso slowly over the milk gives you the classic layered latte macchiato look.
Sofi’s tips
Small details, great result.
01 Use Delica or butternut pumpkin for a sweet, creamy, not too watery purée.
02 Always remove the star anise and all the cloves before blending the pumpkin.
03 Do not add ground ginger or ground cloves: the aroma of the whole cloves used during cooking is enough.
04 The syrup gets thicker as it cools.
05 Keep the syrup in the fridge for 7–10 days and shake it before using.
06 You can freeze it in an ice-cube tray and thaw only as much as you need.