Halloween may be over but I’m not quite ready for all out Christmas yet and I’m sure others will feel the same. So how to fill the gap between Halloween and the festive period? Pumpkins and Pumpkin spice are the way to feel cosy during this time of year.
One of my favourite pumpkin spice sweets are the pumpkin spice Hershey’s Kisses. These are hard to find in the UK but if I see them I need to have them. I was very lucky to visit the states this year and managed to pick some up there. The pumpkin spice kisses are slightly sweeter than the original which helps if you find the original a bit bitter.
I heard Lindt made pumpkin spice truffles in the fall and I have looked in every store I know that sells them, but it seems to be an American thing in regard to stores. They can be found online but again, when I was in the States I made a bee-line to the store and filled up a Halloween themed bag. The original (red) truffle can be a bit sickly if you have more than two but the addition of the spice helps to balance the flavours and are much more enjoyable.
If you are interested in something even sweeter there are pumpkin spice Twinkies. Just like the original these are very indulgent and sticky.
When it’s cold outside sometimes you just want to cosy up in blankets and watch a movie with a hot drink and some munchies. I found pumpkin pie M&Ms and their white chocolate filling instead of the milk chocolate makes it an interesting new taste to try. These can be paired with a pumpkin tea or hot chocolate.
If you can’t find a pumpkin flavoured drink or just want to spice up your favourite drinks why not try making your own pumpkin spice syrup. I found the below recipe in one of my Vitamix books and adding this to your favourite hot drinks is so good. I love to make my own pumpkin spice chai lattes.
Recipe – Pumpkin Spice Syrup (Vitamix Create book)
300ml Water
120g Pumpkin Puree
100g Sugar
½ tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground ginger
The book recommends this is made in a Vitamix on the soup setting but any blender would do and it can be heated up (if needed) on the hob.
I am now off to snuggle up in a blanket and watch something creepy on TV with my pumpkin spice hot chocolate. Do you have any autumn rituals or do you head straight into Christmas mode after Halloween?