First of all, congratulations on finding fig-leaf gourds at such a bargain price. While traditional methods can make the process seem intimidating, you can streamline it significantly with a few professional kitchen tricks.
Opening the gourd is usually the first hurdle because the outer rind is extremely tough. Instead of risking an injury with a chef knife, the safest and easiest method is to place the gourd inside a clean cloth bag or wrap it in a heavy kitchen towel and drop it firmly onto a concrete patio, garage floor, or hit it with a mallet. It will naturally crack into manageable large pieces.
To save time on pulling the strands, do not try to peel or shred the raw squash. Simply boil the large broken chunks with the skin still on for about twenty to twenty-five minutes, or pressure cook them for ten to twelve minutes. Once they are fork-tender, let them cool slightly in cold water. The fibrous strands will pull away effortlessly from the skin with your hands or a fork, and the black seeds will slip right out without any tedious scraping.
After separating the strands, place them in a colander or cheesecloth and gently squeeze out excess water. Weigh this cooked, drained pulp on your kitchen scale before adding any sweetener.
The classic Spanish ratio is equal parts sugar to pulp by weight, meaning one kilogram of sugar for every kilogram of drained pulp. However, for a filling destined for sweet pastries like ensaimadas or pastissets, an eighty percent ratio—eight hundred grams of sugar per kilogram of pulp—yields a perfectly balanced sweetness without masking the subtle pumpkin flavor.
Place the weighed strands and sugar into a wide, heavy-bottomed pot along with a strip of fresh lemon peel, a tablespoon of lemon juice, and a whole cinnamon stick. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. As the water evaporates and the sugar caramelizes, the strands will turn translucent and develop a gorgeous golden-amber color, which typically takes thirty to forty minutes. Once thick and glossy, remove the cinnamon and lemon peel, and transfer your cabell d'àngel into sterilized jars.
