Autumnal Stuffed Pumpkin Dessert Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the top off the pumpkin or squash and use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds. Get rid of any pithy bits but keep the seeds for another time (see our pumpkin seed recipe ideas). Put the pumpkin on a baking tray, rub with 2 tbsp of the oil inside and out, and season well. Roast in the centre of the oven for 45 mins or until tender, with the 'lid' on the side.
• Meanwhile, rinse the wild rice well and cook following pack instructions, then spread out on a baking tray to cool. Thinly slice the fennel bulb and apple, then squeeze over ½ the lemon juice to stop them discolouring.
• Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Fry the fennel seeds and chilli flakes, then, once the seeds begin to pop, stir in ½ the garlic and the fennel. Cook for 5 mins until softened, then mix through the apple, pecans and lemon zest. Remove from the heat. Add the mixture to the the cooked rice, then stir in the chopped parsley and taste for seasoning.
• Pack the mixture into the cooked pumpkin and return to the oven for 10-15 mins until everything is piping hot. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining lemon juice with the tahini, the rest of the garlic and enough water to make a dressing. Serve the pumpkin in the middle of the table, topped with pomegranate seeds and the dressing.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Mix spice mix together by combining the first five ingredients.
• Cut the top of the pumpkin off leaving a lid but enough room to stick your hand in and clean out the seeds and stringy pulp.
• Mix 2 tablespoons butter and ½ of the spice mix into a paste and rub it all over the inside of the pumpkin and pumpkin lid.
• Bake the pumpkin with the lid on for 15 minutes on a cookie sheet.
• In the meantime, coarsely chop the apples and pears, then mix with the last of the spice mix, butter (cut into chunks), and remaining ingredients.
• Stuff the pumpkin tightly with the mix and place the lid back on. The inside stuffing will bake down a bit as the apples and pears soften.
• Bake for 45 minutes and check for doneness based upon how soft the flesh is when pierced with a fork. Continue baking until pumpkin is cooked, covering the top loosely with foil if it starts to blacken.
• Cool with the lid off for 20 minutes and serve scoops of the pumpkin flesh and stuffing next to vanilla ice cream and a slice of pound cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Set aside 1 cup of cake mix. Combine remaining cake mix with melted butter and 1 egg and mix until well blended; spread mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
• In a large bowl combine pumpkin, brown sugar, milk, 3 eggs and pumpkin pie spice; mix well and pour this mixture over cake mix mixture in baking dish.
• In a small bowl with a pastry blender, or in a food processor, combine chilled butter and white sugar with reserved cake mix until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over all.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until top is golden.