If you're not among the people whose favourite season is autumn, this time of year still has plenty to offer, thanks to the incredible amount of tasty treats you can make from autumn's unofficial mascot, the humble pumpkin. We've picked out some of the best recipes for you to try at home!
Pumpkin spice latte.
The only place to start, pumpkin spice lattes are one of the UK's favourite seasonal hot drinks.
Ingredients.
To make pumpkin spice lattes, you will need:
750g pumpkin
ground cinnamon
ground ginger
ground nutmeg
30ml espresso or strong coffee
250ml milk (any variety)
To begin, you will need to make some pumpkin puree. Peel and seed your pumpkin, then cut into evenly sized cubes. Place the cubes in a steamer or colander over a pan of simmering water for 10-15 minutes or until soft, then mash and leave to cool.
Once cool, put two teaspoons of puree into a large heatproof glass or mug and stir in the spices and coffee. Next, heat the milk in a saucepan over a low heat until steaming and frothy. Pour into the glass or mug and spoon over the froth. Stir to combine, dust with more cinnamon and voila - the perfect warming, aromatic drink to enjoy on a cold autumn evening!
Pumpkin spice cookies.
If you don't manage to lay your hands on a pumpkin this autumn, don't worry - this cookie recipe uses an easy-to-make spice mix instead of pumpkin. And you'd never know the difference!
Ingredients.
To make pumpkin spice cookies, you will need:
300g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp cornflour
1-2 tsps pumpkin spice mix
115g unsalted butter
100g brown sugar
100g granulated sugar
1 large egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
200g white chocolate chunks or chips
100g orange M&Ms
To make the spice mix, you will need:
3 tbsps ground cinnamon
2 tsps ground ginger
2 tsps ground nutmeg
1.5 tsps all spice
1.5 tsps ground cloves
Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4, line two large baking trays with parchment paper, then prepare the spice mix by adding the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, all spice and cloves to a bowl and whisk until even. Add the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cornflour and whisk until combined.
Next, carefully melt the butter and add to a bowl, then add the sugars and whisk for two minutes. Add the vanilla and the egg and whisk again until combined. Add in the flour mixture, M&Ms and chocolate and beat well until the mixture resembles cookie dough.
Finally, using a cookie dough or batter scoop, scoop the dough out in even portions, roll them into balls, place on the baking trays and cook in the oven for 10-13 minutes. Once cooked, leave the cookies to cool for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and serve.
Check out our new autumn drinks range.
We're big fans of autumn at Cafe2U, as it's the perfect opportunity to beat the cold with a steaming hot cup of coffee. And that's why we've launched a limited edition range of autumn drinks! To find out what your local Cafe2U van has to offer, get in touch with them here.
