Kar’ assali is a gently spiced and gently candy Egyptian dessert of sentimental, caramelized pumpkin that is scented with cloves and cinnamon, layered with toasted nuts and coconut, and topped with a candy béchamel. It is a luxuriously creamy and comforting dish that holds a particular place in my coronary heart: Every time I make kar’ assali, I am reminded of my mom’s beloved cousin, Tante Ragaa, who launched me to the dessert.

Tante saved a watchful eye on me once I moved from Alexandria to Cairo, first once I was a scholar, then as a younger skilled. With no household of my very own close by, she made area for me at her desk, together with me in intimate household dinners and vacation celebrations. Her hospitality anchored me throughout these early years, and her cooking grew to become a supply of heat and luxury. Kar’ assali is her signature dessert, a delicacy she at all times makes with love, precision, and a contact of aptitude. 

What I like most about Tante Ragaa’s model—and have tried to recreate in mine—is that it is not too candy, and has simply the best stability of creaminess and crunch, with a mild wobble that makes it delightfully enjoyable to eat. Through the years, kar’ assali has taken the place of pumpkin pie at my Thanksgiving desk, saving me the trouble of constructing a crust whereas delivering the identical autumnal flavors of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. It is make-ahead pleasant, a crowd pleaser, and at all times the primary dessert to vanish. This is how I make it.

The Greatest Pumpkin to Use—and The right way to Cook dinner It

Naturally candy varieties, akin to sugar pumpkin or kabocha squash, work superbly, providing each sweetness and a agency texture. I begin by peeling, dicing, after which tossing cubed pumpkin with sugar to attract out its extra liquid—an outdated trick that retains the dessert from turning soggy whereas additionally concentrating the pumpkin’s taste. After the pumpkin has macerated for a minimum of an hour, I prepare dinner it in a Dutch oven over low warmth till tender, then mash it till easy. The ensuing purée is thick, starchy, and candy, with a caramel-like richness that merely is not present in canned purée.

Flavoring the Béchamel

As an alternative of discarding the water that is extracted from the pumpkin, I incorporate it into the béchamel, which provides the sauce an earthy, vegetal notice that ties the entire dish collectively. It is a good looking means to make use of virtually all the pumpkin, whereas additionally amplifying its pure taste. A contact of orange blossom water provides a floral notice, whereas vanilla and nutmeg lend the dish the nice and cozy aromas attribute of many Egyptian desserts. Cream cheese introduces further richness and a silky, custardy texture to the sauce.

Assembling the Dish

As soon as the pumpkin is mashed and the béchamel is made, all that is left to do is assemble. It is as straightforward because it will get: You merely must unfold the pumpkin evenly throughout the underside of a baking dish, prime it with coconut, walnuts, and sultanas, then blanket the entire thing with the béchamel. Baked till aromatic and piping scorching, then broiled till golden brown, kar’ assali is a heat, comforting dessert that is as becoming on the finish of a weeknight dinner as it’s for a celebratory event.