Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Hubbard squash, seeded and cut into wedges
- 120 ml Québec maple syrup
- 45 g butter, melted
- 60 ml apple cider
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
Method
- Heat the oven to 185 °C and arrange the squash in a buttered baking dish.
- Whisk the maple syrup, butter, cider, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
- Pour the mixture over the squash and cover the dish.
- Bake for 45 minutes, basting twice.
- Uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until soft and browned at the edges.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 100 g brown sugar
Conversion used: Replace 100 g brown sugar with 120 ml maple syrup and reduce the traditional cider from 120 ml to 60 ml; lower the oven from 200 °C to 185 °C.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple reinforces Hubbard squash's dense, chestnut-like sweetness and adds a distinctly Québec character. The reduced liquid concentrates the glaze rather than diluting it.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →