Calabaza en Tacha

Butternut Squash, Piloncillo Syrup, Orange Peel Purée, Cream Ice Cream, and Candied Orange

Pastry Chef Elisa Reyna of maïz64 | Washington, D.C.

Pastry Chef Elisa Reyna has been eating squash for dessert since she was a child in Mexico. Growing up, her mother would make calabaza en tacha (candied squash cooked in piloncillo syrup) every year. She decided to recreate the dessert for the maïz64 menu, basing it off of her mother’s recipe with fine dining touches. Reyna starts by slicing the butternut, then soaking it in cal so it always keeps its shape. “It’s firm, but on the inside, it’s soft,” she says. She boils the calcified squash in orange piloncillo syrup and serves it with candied orange and a bittersweet orange peel purée. Back in Mexico, Reyna eats the syrupy squash slices with nata, a slightly sweet, slightly sour cream made from unpasteurized milk. Unable to source nata in Washington, D.C., Reyna makes a “cream ice cream” from Rancho crema Mexicana. “The flavor is so balanced,” she says. “The [ice cream] is so sweet, then you have the three different flavors [piloncillo, orange peels, and candied orange], and the texture of the squash.”

Adapted by StarChefs | March 2022

INGREDIENTS:

Butternut Squash:
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
100 grams limestone
2 kilograms butternut squash, skin, seeds, and guts removed

Piloncillo Syrup:
Yield: 1 pint
250 grams orange juice
2 sticks cinnamon
2 slices Mandarin orange
350 grams piloncillo

Orange Peel Purée:
Yield: 1 pint
120 grams orange peels
120 grams sugar
50 grams orange juice
50 grams butter

Cream Ice Cream:
Yield: 1 quart
550 grams milk
50 grams heavy cream
39 grams milk powder
50 grams dextrose
105 grams sugar
5 grams ice cream stabilizer
13 grams trimoline
186 grams crema Mexicana

Candied Orange:
Yield: ½ pint
5 orange peels, sliced into thin strips
100 grams sugar

METHOD:

For the Butternut Squash:
In a large, nonreactive container, mix to combine limestone with 5 quarts water. Add butternut and let sit 5 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove butternut from limestone mixture and wash well. Set aside.

For the Piloncillo Syrup:
In a pot, add all ingredients and 250 grams water. Bring to a boil. Add Butternut Squash, reduce to a simmer, and cook 2 hours. Separate cooked Butternut Squash from syrup and transfer syrup to a nonreactive container. Reserve.

For the Orange Peel Purée:
Fill a pot with cold water and add orange peels. Bring to a boil. Strain the peels and immediately shock in ice water. Repeat this process again, starting with cold water. Once more, fill a pot with cold water and orange peels and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer 25 minutes. Strain orange peels and shock in ice water. Transfer orange peels to a Vitamix blender and add remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. Reserve.

For the Cream Ice Cream:
In a pot, combine milk, heavy cream, milk powder, and dextrose. Heat the mixture to 104°F. Stir in sugar, ice cream stabilizer, and trimoline then bring to 185°F. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and immediately refrigerate to cool. Once cold, stir in crema. Transfer to an ice cream machine and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. Reserve in freezer.

For the Candied Orange:
Fill a pot with cold water and add orange peels. Bring to a boil. Strain the peels and immediately shock in ice water. Repeat this process twice more, starting with cold water. In a separate pot, combine sugar with 100 grams water. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar melts into a syrup. Add orange peels and simmer at least 10 minutes. Strain and reserve.

To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving

Add Piloncillo Syrup to the bottom of a serving bowl. Place the cooked Butternut Squash in the center and top with Orange Peel Purée followed by a scoop of Cream Ice Cream. Garnish with Candied Orange.

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