Pumpkin season

It’s officially pumpkin season, so why not turn your arts and crafts into something delicious? Whether you’ve carved a pumpkin into a horsey masterpiece or just jazzed it up on the outside to create a super-cool autumnal decoration, we’ve got the perfect recipe inspo for you!

Did you know?

Using the inside of your pumpkin decoration to turn it into a yummy treat is the perfect way to reduce waste!

Top tip

Make sure you’re being supervised by an adult when baking – especially when cutting up your pumpkin or putting trays in the oven.

Pumpkin soup

You’ll need…

• Pumpkin – peeled, deseeded and chopped into large chunks
• Onion
• Garlic
• Vegetable stock
• Milk or cream

Top tip

The amount of ingredients you use depends on how big your pumpkin is! Ask an adult for advice on this.

How to make it…

1. Place all your ingredients, except the milk or cream, into a pan.
2. Bring to the boil and cook for around 15 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft.
3. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool slightly.
4. Use a stick blender to blitz it up and make it smooth!
5. Add in your cream or milk, and season to taste.

There you have it! A super-delicious pumpkin soup, perfect for a warm lunch after a chilly autumnal morning at the yard.

Pumpkin bread

You’ll need…

• 175g butter, melted
• 140g clear honey
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 250g pumpkin, peeled and grated
• 100g light muscovado sugar
• 350g self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons demerara sugar
• 5kg loaf tin
• Baking paper

How to make it…

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC fan.
2. Butter your bread tin and line with the baking paper.
3. Mix the butter, honey and egg, and stir in the pumpkin or squash.
4. Add in the sugar, flour and ginger and give it a good stir to combine.
5. Pour your mix into the tin and sprinkle the top with the demerara sugar.
6. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until risen and golden brown.
7. Leave in the tin for five minutes, then turn out and leave on a wire rack to cool down.

Slice and serve up your perfect pumpkin bread with a cup of tea, hot chocolate or your other favourite drink, and enjoy while you get stuck into your fave horsey book or movie!

Pumpkin pie

You’ll need…

• 750g pumpkin – peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 350g sweet shortcrust pastry
• Plain flour, for dusting
• 140g caster sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh nutmeg, grated
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 25g butter, melted
• 175ml milk
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar
• 22cm loose-bottomed tart tin
• Parchment paper
• Baking beans

How to make it…

1. Put your pumpkin chunks into a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, until soft.
2. Drain and let the pumpkin cool.
3. Heat the oven to 160ºC fan.
4. Roll out your pastry onto a lightly floured surface and place into your tin. Chill for 15 minutes in the fridge.
5. Line the pastry with parchment paper and pour in the baking beans – bake for 15 minutes.
6. Remove the paper and beans then bake for another 10 minutes, until the base is pale, golden and biscuity. Once cooked, allow to cool slightly.
7. Increase the oven temperature to 200ºC fan.
8. Blend the pumpkin into a purée using a food processor.
9. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt, nutmeg and half of the cinnamon.
10. Mix in the beaten eggs, melted butter and milk, then add to the pumpkin purée and stir.
11. Pour your mix into the pastry and cook for 10 minutes.
12. Reduce the temperature of the oven back down to 160ºC fan and bake for a further 35–40 minutes until the filling has set.
13. Leave to cool and then remove the pie from the tin.
14. Mix the leftover cinnamon with the icing sugar and sprinkle over the pie.

Now it’s time to enjoy your amazing pumpkin pie – the ultimate autumnal dessert!