Not to be defeated by the lack of canned pumpkin purée, here in Ireland I decided to make my home pumpkin purée. I mean how hard it could be? I have many years of puréeing baby food for fussy eaters under my belt! The result was amazing and all those yummy recipes with canned pumpkin were no longer out of my reach! Of course my kids don’t really know there is pumpkin in these muffins we just call them Hallowe’en muffins and they are a big success! The pumpkin spice recipe too is easy to follow and will keep forever. Enjoy!

Ingredients

218 grams/ 1 ¾ cups plain flour (all purpose)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon pumpkin spice (recipe follows)

½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs

150 grams/ 3/4 cup sugar

330 grams /1 ½ cups pumpkin purée (recipe follows)

110 grams/ ½ cup brown sugar

125 millilitres /½ cup sunflower oil

125 millilitres/½ cup milk

175 grams/1 cup chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and salt in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil and milk until smooth.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until they are combined.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Use muffin liners and using a muffin scoop fill each about 3/4 of the way.
7. Bake for 18 minutes. Check muffins are cooked when an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Pumpkin Spice

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon,

2 teaspoons ground ginger,

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg,

1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cloves.

Method:

Mix the spices together in a small bowl and Store the mixture in a clean small jar

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Homemade Pumpkin Purée

Ingredients:

1 medium baking pumpkin

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F

Place pumpkin on a parchment lined baking sheet and place into oven. Bake until a knife can easily be inserted into the skin of the pumpkin, about 1 hour. If the knife cannot be inserted easily continue baking in 15 minute increments.

Remove the pumpkin from the oven and allow to cool for about 30 minutes.

Slice the pumpkin in half with a knife, and then scoop out the seeds and membrane from the inside of the pumpkin, saving the seeds for roasting if you like.

Scoop out the soft pumpkin flesh with a large spoon and place into blender and purée.

Strain to remove any remaining stringy pieces and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for several months.