Autumn has well and truly kicked in. The darker evenings are drawing in, weekends are spent in hibernation, and I’m set on only participating in wholesome, nurturing activities (minus the odd bottomless brunch...).
This season is all about restoration, slowing down and feeling more intentional. I find one of the best ways to give myself some love, is by baking something scrumptious. If the same goes for you, then look no further than this puff pastry pumpkin. Flaky puff pastry + gooey cheese = a match made in heaven, so why not recreate this autumnal-inspired recipe to bring along to a gathering with friends, or delicious treat to enjoy on a chilly night!
Ingredients:
1x sheet of puff pastry
1x wheel of camembert or brie
3 tbsp of your favourite chutney (I used caramelised onion)
1x egg for egg wash
4x pieces of twine, cut into roughly 30cm lengths
Sage leaf & cheese twist for decoration
Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 180°
Unravel the pastry sheet and place onto a work surface or chopping board and score a large circle, allowing you to use as much pastry as possible
In the centre, dollop on your chutney of choice and then lay the wheel of cheese on top
Start to bring the sides of the pastry upwards and over the base of the cheese, turning as you go, so the wheel is completely covered in pastry – you can flip it over to neaten any edges
Lay over the pieces of twine to form a star shape. Then lay your covered wheel into the middle of the star with the folded edge face-up
Bring each opposite end of twin towards its other end and tie together, until each piece of twine is tied – you can cut off excess string if necessary
Flip the wheel over and the top should show a star formation of twine. Then cover in egg wash
Place the egg-washed-wheel onto a baking sheet and into the oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown
Once out of the oven, garnish with a sage leaf and inch of cheese straw to create a stalk for the pumpkin
Serve with crackers and enjoy!
