Budding chefs cook up cure for Halloween pumpkin waste horror

Budding chefs at UHI North, West and Hebrides are tackling the dark side of Halloween by cooking up creative ways to save pumpkins from the bin.

SVQ Professional Cookery students at the institution’s Dornoch campus have created a series of innovative dishes that use the humble Halloween pumpkin, showing there is much more to the seasonal favourite than carving.

The resulting menu is anything but spooky, with recipes including pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin and apple loaf cake with cream cheese frosting, pumpkin crème brûlée and pumpkin brownies.

The recipes have been developed using a single large pumpkin, with students testing different ways to make use of the flesh and other edible parts of the vegetable.

Lecturers developed the project in a bid to raise awareness of food waste around Halloween.

According to Love Food, Hate Waste around 12.8 million pumpkins bought for decoration each year are left uneaten, with a staggering 67% of UK families throwing away at least one perfectly palatable pumpkin.

Simon Rodgers, Lecturer in Hospitality and Tourism at UHI North, West and Hebrides, said: “Pumpkins are a big part of Halloween, but more often than not they are carved out and binned.

“They’re packed with vitamins and minerals and are a tremendous cooking ingredient. The idea behind this project was to prove that and create a range of recipes that people can make at home.

“Many of our graduates end up in some of the UK’s best-known restaurants, places like The Ritz and Gleneagles Hotel, and this was an opportunity to take a familiar ingredient and think creatively about how it can be used.

“It’s not just about that, though. We want to highlight that there are often simple but creative ways to reduce food waste in any circumstance. It’s a message that’s relevant throughout the year, although it is particularly relevant at Halloween.”

UHI North, West and Hebrides offers Professional Cookery courses are taught at the institution’s Dornoch, Fort William, Stornoway and Thurso campuses, combining formal training with practical experience that can make all the difference when students take their first steps into the industry.

Find out more about studying Professional Cookery at UHI North, West and Hebrides.

RECIPES:

Pumpkin Brûlée

By Ajay Devgun

Ingredients

• ¼ vanilla pod
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 6 egg yolks
• 46g icing sugar
• 350ml double cream
• 4–5 tbsp pumpkin purée

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 140°C. Weigh and measure all the ingredients.
2. Wash and clean the munchkin pumpkins then slice the tops off. Remove the insides and clean them out using a spoon and small knife to create a neat, circular basin.
3. Heat the double cream in a pot until it reaches a gentle boil. Add the vanilla and cinnamon then allow to infuse for around 10–15 minutes over a low heat.
4. In a bowl, mix together the egg yolks and icing sugar.
5. Pass the infused cream through a sieve into the bowl with the yolks and sugar. Mix gently while adding the pumpkin purée.
6. Place the prepared pumpkin moulds in a deep tray and fill each to the top with the mixture. This recipe will make between 4–8 munchkin pumpkins or up to 10 small ramekins.
7. Place the tray in the oven and carefully fill it with hot water until it reaches around halfway up the sides of the brûlée dishes or pumpkins.
8. Bake in the water bath for 25–35 minutes, or until the mixture has set with only a very slight wobble.
9. Once cooked, chill the brûlées. Sprinkle generously with caster sugar then use a blowtorch to caramelise the sugar until golden.

Pumpkin Pancakes

By Lloyd Anderson

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tsp melted butter
• 1½ cups milk

Method

1. Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together.
2. Place all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and mix together.
3. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
4. Lightly butter a frying pan. Use a ladle to pour the pancake batter into the pan and cook the pancakes until golden brown on both sides.
5. Cook the streaky bacon to serve with the pancakes. Drizzle with maple syrup and enjoy!

Pumpkin, Apple and Pecan Loaf Cake

By Serena Maiden

Ingredients

For the loaf cake

• 200g pumpkin
• 150g apple purée
• 3 eggs
• 150g brown sugar
• 120ml melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g plain flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 50g coarsely chopped pecan nuts
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

For the cream cheese frosting

• 250g cream cheese
• 50g unsalted butter, softened
• 100–150g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Reserved pecans, for garnish

Method

1. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and aerated.
2. Add the pumpkin purée, apple purée, melted butter and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Remove from the mixer and gently fold the mixture by hand.
6. Coat the chopped pecan nuts lightly in flour then gently fold them into the mixture.
7. Pour the batter into a loaf tin and bake at 160°C for 45–60 minutes, or until cooked through.
8. Allow the loaf to cool completely before piping the cream cheese frosting on top. Decorate with the reserved pecans and serve.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Beat the softened butter on its own for 1–2 minutes.
2. Add the cream cheese and beat together until smooth.
3. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

Tip: If the frosting is too runny, add a tablespoon of cream cheese and a splash of double cream then whisk until it reaches the desired consistency.

Pumpkin and Cheese Scones

By Lenny Fraser

Ingredients

• 450g plain flour
• 25g baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• 230g butter
• 200g pumpkin purée
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 80g cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Method

1. Sieve the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl.
2. Grate the butter into the flour and rub it in with your fingers until there are no lumps of butter left and the texture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Finely chop the spring onions, grate the cheese and measure out the pumpkin purée. Mix these together then add to the dry mixture.
4. Mix thoroughly until a dough starts to form. Once the mixture starts coming together, tip it out onto a lightly floured work surface and cut through it with a bench scraper, or continue mixing with your hands. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
5. Once the dough has come together, wrap it in cling film and place it in the fridge to rest for 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line your baking sheets with silicone paper or greaseproof paper.
7. Roll out the dough until it is around 2cm thick. Using a fluted cutter, cut out the scones and place them on the baking tray, slightly spaced apart.
8. Brush the tops of the scones with either egg or milk. Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes.
9. Allow the scones to cool before serving.

Pro tips

• Be careful not to overwork the dough as this can make it too sticky to work with.
• You can add or remove additional ingredients such as the spring onions and cheese to suit your taste. Parmesan can be used instead of cheddar and spinach can also be added.

Pumpkin Brownies

By Lenny Fraser

Ingredients

• 150g milk chocolate
• 230g unsalted butter
• 3 eggs + 1 egg yolk
• 245g caster sugar
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 120g cocoa powder
• 150g plain flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 500g pumpkin purée
• 100g milk chocolate chunks
• 120g white chocolate chunks

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20cm × 30cm baking tin with greaseproof paper.
2. Melt the butter and milk chocolate together in a pan over a medium heat until melted and combined. Set aside to cool.
3. Whisk the eggs, egg yolk and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved and the eggs are pale in colour. Gradually whisk in the cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Add the soy sauce and pumpkin purée and mix well.
4. Sieve the cocoa powder and flour into the wet mixture and gently fold them in. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Add most of the milk and white chocolate chunks, reserving around 15g of each for the topping. Mix to combine.
6. Spoon the brownie batter into the prepared tin then sprinkle the reserved chocolate chunks over the top.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the brownies comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
8. Once baked to your liking, place the brownies in the fridge for a few hours, or leave them to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Pro tips

• You can use salt instead of soy sauce if preferred. Soy sauce adds extra depth to the overall flavour, but salt works well too.
• Underbaking the brownies slightly can give them a fudgier texture. However, avoid underbaking them by more than 1–2 minutes as this can result in a runny centre.
• Chilling the brownies overnight is optional. They can be served after resting for 10 minutes. For a fudgier texture, chill them in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

Caramel Pumpkin Tart

Recipe by Cody Alexander Malczewski

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 5–8

Ingredients

For the crust

• 150g plain flour
• 50g caster sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 115g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten
• 2 tsp ice-cold water, if needed

For the caramel filling

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup double cream, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp sea salt

For the pumpkin spice filling

• 450g pumpkin purée
• ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• 3 large eggs

Method

1. Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 175°C. Place your pre-baked sweet pastry crust on a parchment-lined baking sheet with a rim for stability.
2. Make the caramel: Add the granulated sugar and water to a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves then increase the heat to medium-high. Allow to boil without stirring for 8–10 minutes, until it turns a deep amber colour.
3. Finish the caramel: Remove the pan from the heat. Immediately whisk in the double cream. Be careful as the mixture will bubble vigorously. Whisk until completely smooth then mix in the vanilla and sea salt. Set aside.
4. Mix the pumpkin filling: In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin purée and dark brown sugar. Whisk in the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating each one fully before adding the next.
5. Combine and strain: Pour the warm caramel sauce into the pumpkin mixture and stir until evenly combined. Pour the filling through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or large measuring jug with a spout.
6. Bake the tart: Pour the strained filling into the tart shell, filling it to the brim. Carefully transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 45–50 minutes. The edges should look slightly puffed and set, while the centre should retain a slight, even wobble.
7. Cool and serve: Transfer the tart to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely before removing the outer tart ring. Chill before serving and top with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Pro tips:

• Caramel rescue: If your caramel seizes or hardens when you add the cream, don't worry. Place the pan back over a low heat and stir continuously until the sugar melts back into a smooth sauce.
• Brighten the flavour: Orange zest can be added to the pumpkin filling for extra brightness, which helps balance the richness of the caramel.

Pumpkin and Apple Crumble

By Christopher Morrison

Ingredients

For the filling

• ½kg pumpkin flesh
• ½kg Bramley apples
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

For the crumble topping

• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 125g unsalted butter, melted
• A pinch of salt
• ½ cup oatmeal
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 100°C.
2. Cut and prepare the pumpkin, separating the flesh from the seeds and insides. Place the seeds in a bowl.
3. Wash and dry the pumpkin seeds then place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Put them in the oven at 100°C to dry out.
4. Remove the seeds from the oven once dried. Mix them with the honey then return them to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Roast at 180°C until golden brown.
5. Cut the pumpkin flesh into chunks, removing the skin. Place the pumpkin on a baking tray, drizzle with a small amount of vegetable oil and roast at 180°C until tender.
6. Remove the pumpkin and seeds from the oven. Set the seeds aside to cool until the remaining honey hardens into a sheet. Blitz the seeds and hardened honey into small chunks.
7. Place the roasted pumpkin in a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth.
8. Wash, peel and rinse the apples then cut them into chunks.
9. Place the apple chunks and pumpkin purée in a bowl. Sprinkle with the flour, sugar and cinnamon then mix with a wooden spoon.
10. Place the mixture in a baking dish and spread evenly.
11. To make the crumble topping, place the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, oatmeal, pumpkin seed and honey pieces and salt into a bowl. Mix by hand until evenly combined.
12. Melt the butter over a low heat.
13. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the melted butter. Mix until clumps form.
14. Spread the crumble mixture evenly over the pumpkin and apple filling.
15. Bake at 180°C for 30–40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
16. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.