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The spookiest festival of the year is just around the corner! And while kids around the world are looking forward to trick-or-treating and delicious sweet treats to try out on Halloween 2023, most people are also waiting to start carving large, yellow or orange-hued pumpkins. Did you know that pumpkins have been associated with Halloween festivities since time immemorial?
Old Irish folklore tells the story of Jack who tried to trick the Devil himself and was punished with the curse of roaming the Earth for eternity with a hollowed out turnip or potato head. When the Irish migrated to the USA, they found that large pumpkins were easier to carve out and made for better Jack-O-Lantern heads. This is how the practice of carving pumpkins on Halloween evolved and became popular.
Add to this the fact that Halloween is an autumn festival and pumpkins are harvested in abundance all over the world during this time, and the fact that pumpkins form an essential part of this festival solidified even further. In fact, the yellow-gold and orange hues of pumpkins resonate well with the colours of autumn or fall season too! And so, the practice of cooking up plenty of sweet and savoury dishes with pumpkin for Halloween also became a custom.
Looking for the perfect Halloween-themed pumpkin treats to whip up for your party? Here are all the pumpkin recipes you should try out.
Video Credit: YouTube/Preppy Kitchen
1. Pumpkin Cake
Easy to make and easier still to decorate, a pumpkin cake can be the central piece of your Halloween party. All you need to do is roast or cook some pumpkin, mash it and infuse it with flavours of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Fold this pumpkin puree into a simple sponge cake batter, bake it and add a cream cheese frosting to create the ultimate Halloween treat.
2. Pumpkin Cookies
A favourite among both kids and adults on Halloween, pumpkin cookies are a delightful teat-time treat. Soft, crumbly and orange-hued, these cookies can be whipped up using a plain cookie dough infused with cinnamon and nutmeg. Get pumpkin and cream cheese frostings, as well as other Halloween-themed edible decorations, and decorate these cookies with the young ones.
3. Pumpkin Pasties
Fudgy, crunchy and a favourite among kids who love dressing up as Harry Potter characters on Halloween, pumpkin pasties are a delight to eat and behold. Filled with a spiced pumpkin mixture with sweet-savoury flavours and a flaky pastry shell, pumpkin pasties are a cosy, fragrant and magical treat during autumn season and especially Halloween.
4. Pumpkin Soup
Who wants to enjoy a soup on Halloween, you may ask. But the fact is, though simple, a pumpkin soup can make for a flavourful and nourishing meal after you come back from trick-or-treating on Halloween. Just stew some pumpkin with broth, spices and onions, mash them up and serve hot with croutons and pumpkin seeds. You can also add some herbs and chicken to make this one more filling for supper.
5. Pumpkin Tart
Another traditional dish that is always whipped up during Halloween, pumpkin tart offers the perfect combination of flaky crust and a velvety filling. Making the shortcrust pastry for this tart at home is very easy if you have flour, butter, sugar and spices like cinnamon. As for the filling, you will need pumpkin puree, egg yolks and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. You can serve this one with a fresh dollop of cream or with ice cream.
6. Pumpkin Pasta
More of a modern addition to Halloween festivities rather than a traditional one, this sweet and savoury pasta dish is flavoured with pumpkin, sage and nutmeg. All you need to do is make a delicious pasta sauce using pumpkin puree, sage or other herbs and spices like nutmeg—adults can also add a dash of vodka to this one for a twist of flavours. Just mix this sauce with freshly cooked, al dente pasta of your choice, top with herbs and cheese and your Halloween meal is ready!
7. Pumpkin Bread
A traditional dish cooked across many homes during Halloween holidays, this pumpkin bread is known for its spiced and earthy flavours. The flour-based dough of this bread is infused with pumpkin puree, nutmeg, cinnamon and often even chocolate chips. Once baked, this pumpkin bread can be enjoyed with a generous spread of cream cheese.
