Freda's Halloween Treats

Freda Shafi

Well, Hello Autumn!..Hope you’re all doing well. Dropping by with some spooky treats and seasonal favourites for my new favourite recipes. This season it’s all about pumpkins, not just to have fun with,  but we make use of every part of that pumpkin including the pumpkin seeds. We  also have some “Spooktacular”  treats in the form of spider cookies just in time for Halloween.

Enjoy XOXO

Cauliflower and Pumpkin Cheese.

I’m a lover of a classic cauliflower cheese; who else? Have you ever tried adding pumpkin or butternut squash to it? . A sprinkle of tandoori spiced pumpkin seeds to garnish. Let’s just say, try it and leave it at that.

Ingredients

500g pumpkin peeled and diced

500g cauliflower florets

White sauce :

100g butter

500ml milk

5oz cheese

1 tsp mustard

Salt and pepper to season

Method

Place the cauliflower florets in a saucepan of boiling water and par boil for 6-8 mins until tender

Drain and leave to one side

In another saucepan melt the butter add the flour and stir vigourously with a hand held whisk to create a roux

Add the milk and continue to stir until a thick sauce is formed (add more milk if necessary)

Add the grated cheese, mustard, salt and pepper to season. Check the seasoning by tasting; add more if necessary.

Place the sliced pumpkin and par boiled cauliflower in a medium ceramic ovenproof dish.

Pour the cheese sauce carefully over the cauliflower and pumpkin and place in a preheated oven 200C / 180 C (fan forced)

Cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the cauliflower cheese is bubbling and the top is golden brown

Enjoy!

Spiced Pumpkin Scones

These are incredible. If you’re a scone lover and you like both sweet and savoury scones here’s one for you. They are perfect as a breakfast or a snack during the day. They make use of seasonal vegetables including pumpkin which I happen to love. Enjoy with some of your favourite treats including cheese and pickle.

Ingredients

450g self raising flour

150g butter

2 large eggs (free range ideally)

4 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp strong English mustard

1/2 tsp ground cumin

50g cheddar cheese grated

300g pumpkin peeled and roughly chopped -Olive oil, Salt and pepper to season

1 beaten egg to wash the scones whilst baking

To serve

Red pepper chutney

Sliced cheddar

Method

Pre-heat the oven 180C / 170 fan forced

Place the chopped pumpkin on a baking tray with a few tsp olive oil, salt and pepper

Place into the heated oven and roast until soft and slightly crisp on the outside

Once cooked gently mash to a pulpy consistency (not too pasty)

Combine the flour, butter and ground cumin using your fingertips. It should resemble fine breadcrumbs.

Add the eggs and a little milk to bring the dough together.

Lay the dough flat on some baking paper.

Place the mustard, the pumpkin and the grated cheese onto the dough.

With your hands, gently fold the dough inwards from each corner. Gently knead to spread the mixture evenly

Take some flour and loosely dust into a flat surface and over the dough and roll to 3cm thick.

Take a scone / cookie cutter and start to cut the scones out. Keep bringing the excess mixture together each time you cut a batch until you have approximately 12-15 scones.

Brush with egg wash.

Place into the heated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until cooked through

Serve with cheese, chutney and a sprinkle of fresh herbs as shown

Enjoy

Spooky Spider Cookies

Here’s one for the kids and the big kid in us all! I love to make these with my children, they never tire of them are they are so easy to make from scratch. It gets them in the kitchen with you over half term, rolling, baking and having lots of fun. You have to admit these are pretty cute to look at!

Ingredients

Cookies

225g butter

275g plain or all-purpose flour

100g caster sugar or coconut sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger (optional)

Spiders

Chocolate muffins

You can create these at home a few days earlier following the recipe below or if you don’t have the time, shop bought muffins will do

Nutella

Chocolate squeeze tube ganache

Edible eyes 👀 (you can pick these up from most supermarkets in the baking section)

Method

Preheat the oven 180C / 160 fan forced

Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add the other elements ; the sifted flour and spices.

Mix with your hands to create a dough.

Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Take small (golf ball size) chunks of dough and roll firmly in the palm of your hands

Place them on a lined baking tray at least 2” apart

Place your thumb in the centre to create a well or indentation

Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly golden

Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack

Place the muffins in a bowl and smash with the back of a fork

Add 2 tsp Nutella to make a stickyish dough, that you can roll into small marble sized balls

Take small pieces and roll into marble sized balls

Make the same number as the cookies

Place the balls into the centre of each cookie in the indents

Squeeze the chocolate ganache from the squeezy tube to create legs

Use the ganache to stick down the edible eyes as shown

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Don’t you just love a good hearty soup?. This curried pumpkin soup is just the ticket for October; one of our favourites and again so easy to create from scratch. It’s full of nutrition and packed with nutritious healthy elements that you need in the colder months. It’s like a hug in a bowl!

Ingredients

1/2 large pumpkin, peeled and roughly chopped

1 onion diced

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp ground coriander

Pinch chilli flakes

2 cloves

5 pepper corns

6 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee

1 tsp fresh grated garlic

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

500ml chicken / vegetable stock

Salt to taste

Garnish

Pumpkin seeds

Tandoori spice (pre mixed available in most Asian grocery shops)

Olive oil

Fresh double cream (optional)

Method

Heat 6 tbsp oil in a large saucepan. Add the diced onion and stir fry until tender.

Add the pumpkin and stir fry for a few minutes.

Introduce all the spices and combine well before adding the stock.

Leave to simmer on a moderate heat until the pumpkin is tender

Take a hand held food processor and grind until the soup becomes a smooth consistency.

Garnish

Heat the oven to 180C or 160 fan forced

Place the pumpkin seeds into a pan of boiling water with 1 tsp of salt and boil for 6-8 minutes

Remove from the water and lay onto a lined baking tray.

Dab with some kitchen towel to remove any excess water.

Sprinkle with some olive oil, coating them generously.

Using a sieve sprinkle generously with the ready mixed tandoori spice until well coated.

Place the baking tray into the preheated oven and bake the pumpkin seeds for 10-15 mins until golden brown

Serve the soup into individual bowls then spoon a few teaspoons of the pumpkin seeds each portion

Add some extra chilli flakes if you like a little more heat and a dash of cream for extra indulgence

Enjoy !

Oranges are starting to show up more and more now; certainly something about this zesty fruit and the onset of winter. One of my all time favourites is this zesty orange cake with ginger and rosemary. It’s a re-run of a recipe I shared before, so in case you didn’t save it, here it is again

Devilish Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Halloween’s coming.…Halloween’s coming...

Spiders, Ghosts, Goblins and Cakes are after you ... Boo!! 🕷 👻🎃

Ingredients

For the cake

225g/8oz plain flour

200g caster sugar

85g/3oz cocoa powder

1½ tsp baking powder

2 free-range eggs

250ml/9fl oz milk

125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

150 ml boiling water

300g roasted pumpkin (roast in 2tbsp oil) then process until smooth

Filling (optional)

Raspberry jam

Fresh whipped cream

For the chocolate icing

200g/7oz plain chocolate

200ml/7fl oz double cream

Decorate with a web design using white chocolate icing pen

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.

2. Place all the cake ingredients, except the pumpkin and boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.

3. Add the finely processed roasted pumpkin and mix through

4. Add the boiling water to the mixture, and also mix through until smooth.

5. Pour the cake batter between two sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25–35 minutes, or until the top is firm and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

6. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely

7. Chocolate icing: over a low heat warm the chocolate and cream in a saucepan until the chocolate melts.

8. Remove from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth and thickened.

9. Set aside to cool until thick enough to pour over the cake

10. 10.Carefully remove the cakes from the tins

11. Shave the top part of one cake with a bread knife to get a flat surface

12. Onto the top of this cake spread 2 tbsp of jam then a few tbsp of fresh whipped cream

13. Place the other cake over the top and smooth out the edges and filling on the sides

14. Pour the icing over the top of the cake - allowing it to drip and drizzle over the edge

15. Using the white chocolate icing pen or other white chocolate icing; melt it first and then start to draw a pattern by making several circles over the surface as shown in the photo. Then create lines for the web pattern . Throw on some plastic spiders to freak out your guests !

16. Transfer the cake to a cake stand and serve

Enjoy !

An extra spooktacular idea…..

Here’s a great way to spruce up your doughnuts using coloured icing

Add the colours to the icing sugar mixed with a little water and pour over plain doughnut rings

Use squeezable chocolate ganache to create dramatic webs as shown

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#Inconversation - Podcast Series

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