Chef Rob’s Halloween Treats

27 Oct 22

With Halloween quickly approaching, we have asked Chef Rob to share with us a couple of his favourite Halloween recipes for you to sink your teeth into!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the base:

• 200g ginger biscuits (crushed)
• 100g melted butter

For the filling:

• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 3 tbsp vanilla extract
• 75g golden caster sugar
• 300g pumpkin puree
• 500g ricotta
• 600g cream cheese

For the topping:

• 300ml whipped cream
• Cinnamon

Directions:

1. To make the cheesecake base, mix the crushed biscuits and melted butter together. Press firmly into a greased, loose-based tin and leave in the fridge to set.
2. While the base sets, add a saucepan to a medium heat, and mix the cornflour with the vanilla extract until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree and 2 tsp caster sugar and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Simmer for 1 minute, then put into a bowl and chill for 20 minutes.
3. Mix the ricotta, cream cheese and remaining sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Combine with the pumpkin puree mixture and spread on top of the cheesecake base.
4. Chill for at least 4 hours.
5. To decorate, pipe swirls of whipped cream around the edges of the cheesecake and dust with cinnamon.

Toffee Apples

 Ingredients:

• 6 red apples
• 300g golden caster sugar
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• Sprinkles (or topping of your choice)

Directions:

1. Put the apples in a large bowl and cover with boiling water to remove any waxy residue from the apples, which will help the caramel to stick. Let them sit for 1 minute, then dry completely with kitchen towel.
2. Carefully push a wooden skewer into each apple – make sure the skewer doesn’t come out the other side, you just want to push it in far enough that it can bear the weight of the apple.
3. Add the caster sugar to a pan with the golden syrup, and 5 tbsp water. Keep on a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, turn up the heat and boil until caramelised. Do not stir the caramel at any point, you may swirl it around in the pan.
4. Once you have your toffee, quickly (but carefully) coat your apples by dipping each in the pan whilst tilting it to get an even coating.
5. Top the toffee apples with sprinkles (or any topping of your choice) and leave to cool.