Delicious pumpkin juice with orange for the winter
Many people avoid pumpkin juice because of its distinctive pumpkin flavor. But that's no reason to give up on this healthy drink. There are plenty of ways to disguise it so it won't be noticeable in the finished drink. One of the most delicious options is to prepare pumpkin juice with orange and lemon for the winter. The orange neutralizes not only the pumpkin flavor but also its aroma, while the lemon adds a slight tartness and ensures the drink stays fresh longer. If these additions aren't enough, add a cinnamon stick to the almost-ready juice and simmer for a few minutes. The juice will be delicious, bright, and have a pleasant citrus-cinnamon aroma. You can make it thick, almost like a puree, or dilute it with water to the desired consistency, as in this step-by-step recipe with photos.
Ingredients:
- pumpkin, peeled and seeded – 800 g;
- orange – 0.5 pcs;
- lemon juice – 2 tbsp;
- sugar – 150 g;
- water – 1.5 liters;
- cinnamon – 1 stick.
How to prepare pumpkin juice with orange for the winter
Peel the pumpkin, remove the stringy core and seeds. Cut the flesh into slices or small pieces. Cut the orange in half, then slice it, and remove the rind and white pith.
Transfer the pumpkin to a saucepan. Add the orange pulp, cut into small pieces. Pour in a glass of water (use the amount of water specified in the recipe).
Cover the pan with a lid and place the pumpkin and orange over low heat. Simmer for 30-35 minutes. If the pumpkin is hard, cook longer until soft. Add water as needed; there should always be some water in the bottom of the pan, otherwise the pumpkin won't cook through and will burn.
Using an immersion blender, blend the softened pumpkin and orange until it forms a thick, smooth puree without any pieces of pulp.
Bring the puree to a boil over low heat. Dilute with boiling water and add sugar.
Add a cinnamon stick to the pumpkin-orange juice and pour in the lemon juice (or a pinch of citric acid). Once boiling, simmer for 5-7 minutes. Discard the cinnamon before pouring into jars.
While the juice is boiling, sterilize the jars over steam, bake them in the oven, or microwave them. Boil the lids for a few minutes. Pour the boiling pumpkin juice into the jars and seal with tin lids.
Let the filled jars cool to room temperature and then store. Pumpkin juice doesn't need to be refrigerated; you can store it indoors, but choose a cooler location out of direct sunlight. Happy candy-making!
