Fritters and chocolate cake: Thomasina Miers’ recipes for cooking with pumpkin

Quick, simple finger food that children will love for Halloween: pumpkin and carrot fritters with a chilli-coriander relish, and pumpkin baked into a dark chocolate slice

It would be lazy to write, with a rueful shake of the head, that Halloween gets bigger every year. Halloween is huge. I have seen it grow, vicariously, through my children year on year and, despite previously approaching it with a Scrooge-like attitude, something in me has shifted. Perhaps it’s simply the pleasure I see light up in all toddlers through to teens; they can’t get enough of the fandango of dressing up, mixed with its unmistakable, irresistible sprinkle of wickedness. So now I am in. Last year, we had 60 14-year-olds dancing the night away, and I wish I’d made them the recipes here, both of which play on the deliciously sweet, wonderfully savoury nature of pumpkin, that most brilliant of Mexican fruit. Quick, utterly delicious and the perfect finger food. Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin and carrot fritters with green chilli and coriander relish (pictured top)

Delightfully crisp, rich in flavour and delicately spiced, these are simple to throw together but look and taste spectacular, especially with the zippy relish for dipping.

Prep 15 min Cook 40 min Makes 14, to feed 4-6 as a starter

200g squash or pumpkin wedges (delica, crown prince, butternut), peeled 200g carrots, scrubbed clean 2 tsp olive oil 8 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped 2 tsp coriander seeds 2 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp ground cinnamon Salt and black pepper 2 fat garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated or minced 15g ginger, peeled and finely grated or minced 120g gram flour Neutral oil, for frying Greek yoghurt, to serve