This vegan custard recipe was inspired by the Cambodian recipe for sangkaya, also known as sangkhia. Traditional sangkaya is an eggy custard with a strong coconut flavor. Most recipes call for quite a bit of sugar, so this recipe is a loosely adapted interpretation of the original. It’s much healthier, completely vegan, and is a great alternative to flour-based holiday treats. This seasonal dessert does need to chill for several hours before serving, so plan ahead.
The coconut yogurt and soaked cashew base are held together with coconut, garbanzo, and chia seed flour. The sweetness of the maple syrup is balanced with lemon zest and juice. You can adjust the amount of lemon, or add more coconut flakes if you want a less tart or more coconutty flavor.
Kabocha, or Japanese pumpkin, is the best choice for this recipe. Similar to butternut squash, the kabocha has fewer calories and many people say it tastes better. It’s a great source of beta-carotene, iron, vitamin C, and fiber. You can substitute pie pumpkins if you have trouble finding kabocha. When selecting your kabocha squash, choose a squat, wide shape over a taller, round one. This will give the top of the custard a better chance to brown while baking. You can also skip the pumpkin entirely if you’re just looking for a vegan baked custard recipe. If you choose this route, make sure to bake the custard for only twenty minutes.
One item to note… This recipe makes enough custard to fill a pumpkin with a 25-inch (63 cm) circumference. If you’re using a smaller pumpkin, you may want to halve this recipe. I recommend keeping a small (5-inch) springform pan ready for any leftover custard. Just bake it along with your pumpkin for twenty minutes and allow it to cool before eating.
If you thought pumpkin and squash came from the Americas, you are absolutely correct. Portuguese traders and explorers originally brought squash and pumpkins from Brazil to Japan in the 16th century[1] while the Portuguese Empire was expanding into South Asia. The kabocha squash is simply a variety of Cucurbita maxima — the same species that produces the gigantic pumpkins that win ribbons at state fairs. I don't recommend you try to make this recipe with one of those monsters, though. It could feed an army, but the cooking time would take days! Their smaller Japanese cousins, however, do quite nicely.
In Japan, the squash is called Kuri Kabocha, or “nutty pumpkin”.[2] If you’ve ever tasted kabocha you’ll understand the “nutty” moniker. The texture is fluffy and reminiscent of chestnuts, but the flavor is sweet, like a butternut squash crossed with a sweet potato. Kabocha squash have dark, forest-green skin, a slightly squished or flattened shape, and brilliant orange flesh.[3] You can actually leave your kabocha out as a decoration if you’re going to use them within a few days. Otherwise, store them in a dark, cool area for up to a month.[4]
Because their genetic history is intertwined, squash, pumpkin, and gourd are often used interchangeably.[5] As a general rule, you carve pumpkins, cook squash, and decorate with gourds.[6] If you let that sink in, you might wonder how it is that we have so many pumpkin-imbued treats every fall. Well, the truth is, our traditional “pumpkin” pies and other tasty dishes are actually made with squash.[7] Pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin cookies, even canned pumpkin actually contain squash.
Don’t despair, it’s just a quirk of taxonomy. Autumnal pumpkin delicacies are usually made using winter squash that resembles carving pumpkins, they’re just not officially classified as pumpkins. Proper pumpkins aren’t eaten because they’re watery, stringy, and don’t taste that good. Winter squash is smaller, softer, and sweeter than its pumpkin cousin. If you feel lost and confused, don’t worry — even the FDA has trouble deciding whether or not you’re eating a pumpkin or a squash.[8]
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