Pumpkin Scones

I realise halloween is over, but I thought that anyone who has been growing pumpkins this year may still appreciate some recipes. I grew pumpkins on my allotment and I will be needing quite a few recipes as I've harvested about 20 all different sized fruits. Still trying to find places to put them! This is a really nice, simple recipe.

YOU WILL NEED
50g/ 2oz pumpkin puree (make in the same way as other recipes)
1 egg
2 egg yolks
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
50g/2oz self-raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50ml condensed milk

METHOD
The oven needs to be set at gas 6/200 C/400 F. – Grease a baking sheet and heat in the oven, whilst doing this blend all the ingredients together in a food processor. – Place spoonfuls of the mixture on the baking sheet and gently push flat. – Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes, till they rise and turn golden.

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

INGREDIENTS
1 pumpkin, flesh only, squared
2 eggs
225g/8 oz soft light brown sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
3 tsp mixed spice
350 ml evaporated milk
1 pie crust (see below)
METHOD
Oven should be set at gas 8/ 230°C
-Steam the pumpkin for 10-15 minutes till tender.
-Mash or mix the pumpkin in a blender in batches.
-In a bowl, slightly beat the eggs, then add the sugar, salt, 500g of the pumpkin, spices, evapourated milk and flour, blending well.
-Heat the pastry case in the oven for a couple of minutes till warm to the touch, then pour the pumpkin mixture into the case, covering the edge of the case with foil.
-Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to gas 4/180 C and bake for a further 40-50 minutes.
-Remove foil about 20 minutes before the pie is done.
-Allow pie to cool at room temperature then refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Serve cold or re-warmed with cream or ice cream.

PIE CRUST, INGREDIENTS
225g/8oz plain flour,
150g/5oz chilled unsalted butter, chopped,
1 egg, beaten (add an extra yolk for extra flavour)
METHOD
- Sift the flour into a bowl. Using your hands, rub in the butter whilst lifting the mixture above the bowl to introduce air, until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
- Add the beaten egg and mix into the pastry crumbs with a round bladed knife until they start t bind together. Then, lightly gather the mixture together to form a soft, but not sticky, ball of dough.
- Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before rolling out on a cool surface.
- With any leftovers you can make small stars to put on the top of the pie, about 30 minutes before it is ready.

Pumpkin & Potato Soup

Here is a recipe to help use up your pumpkin this Halloween.
INGREDIENTS
900g pumpkin flesh cubed
1 tbsp oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 garlic clove
1 level tsp mild curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
700ml vegetable bouillon
142ml tub double cream
METHOD
Steam the pumpkin for about 8 minutes, until nearly tender. –Put the oil in a frying pan, heat and cook the onion till golden, adding the garlic part way through. –Add the curry powder, pumpkin and potato, stock and seasoning and simmer till the potato is cooked. –Add the cream and bring back to a gentle boil, then blend till smooth (to get a really smooth consistency push through a sieve). –Serve with crusty bread, and why not try it in the pumpkin like the idea below.

Even in 1812, as can be seen from ‘The Professed Cook’ (above) pumpkins were being 'scarified', and it is interesting to see how the tradition of stretches back so far. The recipe included is a little bland, so the one above is a much better alternative, but it can still be served in the pumpkin. It is not too hard scraping out the pumpkin flesh without halving the pumpkin.

Liquorice Tar Apples

It's coming up to toffee apples time, but for home baking, toffee apples are quite difficult to master (making anyway, I can eat them just fine), so an easier, and just as tasty, alternative are these liquorice apples. They are guaranteed to linger on your lips (literally), with added golden syrup to soften the licorice flavour, and sprinkles to add an extra sweet crunch.
YOU WILL NEED
 140g confectionary liquorice
2 tsp golden syrup, about 4 tbsp water
hundreds&thousands
4 apples and sticks.
METHOD
 Cut up the liquorice into very small pieces and place in a saucepan with 2 tbsp of the water. -- Heat gently on a medium-low heat, adding more water as the mixture becomes sticky, stirring continuously. -- As it is becoming like syrup, add the golden syrup, and keep stirring till the lumps melt. -- The best way to coat the apples is with a spoon, using the back to apply the liquorice to the apples, then leave to cool and harden a little before applying sprinkles (we also added Jelly Tots).

MAKING TOFFEE FOR TOFFEE APPLES
If you would like to try making toffee for toffee apples here is a recipe for making enough for about six apples.
YOU WILL NEED
110ml water
225g demerera sugar
0.5 tsp vinegar
2 tbsp golden syrup
25g butter
(wooden sticks for the apples)
METHOD
Place the water in a pan and dissolve in the sugar over a moderate heat. Once dissolved stir in the other ingredients. Bring to the boil and cook without stirring till it reaches the hard crack stage (300 F/144 C) and place in a sink or large bowl of cold water. Dip in the apples and allow to cool on a lightly greased tray before eating.