Use Up Your Halloween Pumpkin With These Three Simple Recipes

Halloween may now be over but it frightens us more than the ghosts and ghouls to announce that more than 24 million pumpkins that would have been lovingly carved over the last few days will not be eaten. According to this research from Google, “pumpkin ideas for 2020” were also up 1,800% giving out results for a whole variety of pumpkin-fuelled goodies. So with the Halloween celebrations now over and with a whole array of simple recipes out there - there’s no need to leave your pumpkins left on the shelf or even forget about them until next October. Pumpkins are an amazing versatile ingredient that you could (and should) utilise in your cooking throughout their entire season. But - if you just want to use up those orange squashes before they start to look a little sorry for themselves, and scarier than your carvings or if you want to save one (and grab a proper bargain) from the supermarkets and help reduce the amount of food waste in the country - why not try one of these super simple, super delicious recipes from Miele, the high-end German manufacture of domestic appliances loved by restaurants and chefs across the world and used to create delicious recipes such as these pumpkin delights. The Spiced Pumpkin Cake is very high on our to-bake-list.

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Spiced Pumpkin Cookies

This recipe created by Miele Der Kern uses steamed pumpkin to make the most deliciously soft pumpkin cookies before being decorated with the seeds for an extra satisfying crunch.

300g Plain Flour
1tsp. Bicarbonate of Soda
1tsp. Baking Powder
1tsp. Cinnamon
1tsp. Mixed Spice
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
250g Caster Sugar
125g Unsalted Butter, Softened
250g Pumpkin Puree or Steamed Pumpkin
1 Egg
1tsp. Vanilla Extract
150g Icing Sugar
50g Pumpkin Seeds, Chopped

Method:
1. Combine flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, spices and salt in medicm bowl.

2. Using an electric hand whisk, cream the sugar and butter until light and dfluffy and then add the egg and vanilla and whisk until incorporated.

3. Fold in the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. When ready, chill the dough for 3-4 hours.

4. Preheat your oven on a Fan Plus 180C.

5. Remove the dough from the fridge and scoop a tablespoonful of the dough and shape into balls. Roll them in the icing sugar and decorate with some of the pumpkin seeds.

6. Place the cookies on a baking tray leaving some space in between them and bake 12-14 minutes.

7. When ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. These cookies will keep in an airtight container for 5 days.

Miele Der Kern

Spiced Pumpkin Cake

This delicious three-tier cake (serves 12) created by Miele Der Kern is lightly spiced before topping with a delicately sweet frosting and a crunchy pecan praline and makes the perfect cake to be shared with friends or family over a cup of tea.

For The Cake:
425g Pumpkin Purée (can be tinned)
200g Soft Dark Brown Sugar
300g Caster Sugar
240ml Sunflower Oil
150ml Water
4 Eggs, Lightly Beaten
Zest of 1 Orange
375g Self Raising Flour
1/2tsp Salt
1tsp. Ground Cinnamon
2tsp. Mixed Spice
1/2tsp. Ground Nutmeg

For The Praline:
50g Pecans
150g Caster Sugar

For The Frosting:
250g Butter, Softened
500g Icing Sugar, Sifted
1-3tbsp. Maple Syrup
2tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Method:

1. Grease and line the base of 3 x 18cm cake tins and preheat your oven on fan to 160C.

2. To make the cake, in a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin purée, sugars, sunflower oil, water, eggs, and orange zest. Mix well until incorporated together. In another bowl, sift together the flour, salt and spices.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold in until just combined.

4. Divide the mixture evenly between the three cake tins. Place the tins on the oven baking tray and put in the pre-heated oven. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

5. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Turn out of the cake tins and leave on wire racks to cool completely.

6. To make the praline, place the pecans on a baking tray and toast in the oven at Fan plus 170°C for 5 – 6 minutes. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, place the caster sugar in an even layer across the base of a clean frying pan. Using a medium high heat, allow the sugar to melt and caramelise to become a rich golden colour.

7. Reserve five to seven nicely shaped pecans, then place the rest on non-stick paper on a baking tray. When the sugar has caramelised, very carefully pour the caramel over the pecans but reserve a little of the caramel in the pan. Allow this to cool slightly, insert a cocktail stick into each of the five reserved pecans. Using the cocktail stick as a ‘handle’, dip the pecans one by one into the cooling caramel. Sellotape the cocktail sticks to the edge of a works surface, allowing the caramel to run off the pecans to make sugar spikes. Leave to cool completely.

8. Return to the cooled, set pecan praline and break it up into pieces. Place in a food processor and blitz to a rough powder. Set aside.

9. To make the frosting, place the softened butter in a large mixing bowl and add in the icing sugar, maple syrup and ground cinnamon. Mix together with an electric hand whisk to make a very light and fluffy frosting – this will take seven to eight minutes of continual whisking depending on the softness of the butter.

10. To assemble, place one of the cakes on a plate or cake stand and spread just over a quarter of the frosting over the surface. Place the second cake on top and spread with another quarter of frosting. Finish with the final cake and cover the top with a more generous amount of frosting leaving some frosting to cover the sides. Roughly spread the remaining frosting around the sides of the cake. Run a palette knife under hot water, then use the warmed knife to thinly and evenly spread the frosting round the sides of the cake to create a ‘naked’ finish.

11. Sprinkle a rim of powdered praline around the top of the cake. Carefully remove the pecan ‘spikes’ from their cocktail sticks and arrange upright on the centre of the cake. Slice to serve. The cake will keep in an airtight container for three to four days.

Miele Der Kern

Stuffed Munchkin Pumpkin

These little stuffed munchkin pumpkins (serves 2) created by Miele Der Kern are great centre pieces and vegetarian replacements that not only has great visual flair but is a proper joy to eat for all involved.

1 Small Butternut Squash (Peeled and Cut Into Cubes)
1 Red Onion, Finely Chopped
2tbsp. Olive Oil
1tbsp. Cumin Seeds
250g Puy Lentils
200g Feta, Cubed
1 Bunch Coriander, Finely Chopped
1 Egg, Beaten
2 Munchkin Pumpkins

1. Toss the butternut squash with the onion, oil and cumin seeds and roast on Fan plus 200°C until tender – approximately 20-30 minutes.

2. Whilst this is in the oven, fill a container with puy lentils and pour over enough boiling water to cover the surface of the lentils by 1cm above. Place in the Steam Oven for 25 minutes on 100°C, uncovered.

3. Cut off the top and hollow out the munchkin pumpkin to allow space for the filling.

4. Mix together the cooked lentils, butternut squash, onion, cumin seeds, feta cheese and coriander, then add in the egg. Season well with salt and pepper.

5. Spoon the mix into the munchkin pumpkin until full. Place the top back on the munchkin and place onto a baking tray.

6. Cook in the oven, 200°C, for 25- 30minutes. Once cooked, garnish with coriander and serve.