Pumpkin Sweet Dreams

Peel the orange, zest the peel, then squeeze the juice; set both zest and juice aside.

Peel the pumpkin, remove seeds, and dice it into roughly 2‑cm cubes.

Place the pumpkin cubes in a saucepan, cover with water, add the cinnamon stick and salt, and simmer over medium heat until the pumpkin is very soft, about 10‑12 minutes.

Drain the pumpkin, discard the cooking liquid, and mash the pumpkin with a fork or potato masher until a smooth puree forms.

Whisk the pumpkin puree together with the orange zest, orange juice, 130 g sugar, port wine, and cachaça until fully incorporated and glossy.

In a separate bowl, beat the two eggs, then stir them into the pumpkin mixture.

Sift the all‑purpose flour and baking powder together, then fold them into the wet mixture, stirring until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.

Heat a deep skillet or pot filled with oil to 325°F (325°F). Use a thermometer to maintain temperature throughout frying.

Drop spoonfuls of batter (about 2‑3 tablespoons each) into the hot oil, frying in small batches to avoid crowding; turn the pieces after 2‑3 minutes, cooking until both sides are golden brown, roughly 5‑6 minutes total per batch.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried fritters to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil; let them cool on the rack for 5 minutes.

Combine the remaining sugar with ground cinnamon in a shallow dish.

While the fritters are still warm, dust each piece generously with the cinnamon‑sugar mixture.

Serve the Pumpkin Sweet Dreams immediately, optionally with a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of extra port wine.