How to Bring The Pumpkin Spice Cafe Novels to Life with Cosy Bakes
The season to indulge in all the baked goods has arrived, and if they feature cinnamon or pumpkin spice, the culinary experience is even better. Laurie Gilmore is the author of BookTok viral Dream Harbor novels, and a new cookbook means readers can recreate the cosy vibes at home. The Pumpkin Spice Cafe Cookbook by Laurie Gilmore and Heather Thomas, priced at £14.99 and published by HarperCollins, is bursting with bakes, meals and drinks that will scent an entire home with seasonal spices.
Think cinnamon, pumpkin spice and other warm aromas to really get households into hibernation mode. With the weather on the turn, there is nothing better than a comforting hot chocolate spiked with pumpkin puree and spice mix for a true taste of autumn. Choosing what to bite into first presents a delicious challenge, whether opting for a fluffy cinnamon bun or a crumbly slice of apple cake.
How to Make Pumpkin Spiced Hot Chocolate at Home
This rich and warming beverage serves two people, requiring five minutes of preparation time and five minutes of cooking time. The ingredients include 120ml milk, 85ml double cream, 45g dark chocolate chips, 1tsp unsweetened dark cocoa powder, 1-2tbsp pumpkin puree, 0.5tsp Pumpkin Spice Mix, 0.5tsp vanilla extract, alongside whipped cream and grated or shaved chocolate to serve.
Variations allow home cooks to dust the drink with pumpkin spice mix, grated fresh nutmeg or ground cinnamon, substitute white or milk chocolate chips for dark, or sprinkle the top with grated orange zest. The homemade pumpkin puree requires one small pumpkin. The pumpkin spice mix combines 6tsp ground cinnamon, 2tsp ground nutmeg, 2tsp ground ginger, and 1tsp ground cloves.
To make the puree, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius, 180 degrees Celsius fan, or gas mark 6. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, cut the pumpkin in half, and scoop out and discard all the seeds and stringy flesh. Place the two halves, cut-side down, on the lined baking sheet and bake for 40 to 60 minutes until the outer skin is easily pierced with a skewer and the flesh is tender. Remove from the oven, let cool, peel away the skin, and transfer the flesh to a food processor to blitz into a smooth puree with a texture similar to canned varieties.
Next, put the milk, cream, chocolate chips, and cocoa powder in a saucepan over a low to medium heat, whisking until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Combine the spice mix ingredients in a small bowl. Add 1tbsp pumpkin puree and the spice mix to the chocolate, stir well, adjust the puree to taste, and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the hot mixture into two mugs, decorate with whipped cream and chocolate, and serve immediately.
Baking Fluffy Cinnamon Buns Step by Step
These cinnamon buns make nine servings, taking 50 minutes of preparation plus two hours of rising time, and 25 to 35 minutes of cooking time. The dough calls for 450g strong white bread flour plus extra, 0.5tsp salt, 1 sachet quick-rise dried yeast, 3tbsp caster sugar, 200ml lukewarm milk plus extra, 85g cold diced butter, 1 large beaten egg plus extra for brushing, and olive oil for greasing. The filling requires 50g melted butter, 150g soft light or dark brown sugar, and 5tsp ground cinnamon. The icing uses 115g softened cream cheese, 3tbsp softened unsalted butter, 85g icing sugar, and a few drops of vanilla extract.
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, then combine yeast, 1tbsp sugar, and warm milk in a smaller bowl. Add 100g of sifted flour to the yeast and set aside for 15 minutes until foamy. Add the remaining sugar to the main flour bowl, rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs, create a well, and pour in the yeast mixture and beaten egg to form a dough. Knead on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, place in an oiled bowl, cover, and leave in a warm place for 1.5 hours to double in size.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius, 180 degrees Celsius fan, or gas mark 6, and butter a 23cm square cake tin. Punch down the dough, roll it into a 35cm by 25cm rectangle, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with the mixed brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up like a sausage, seal the edges, cut into nine equal portions, and place snugly in the tin. Brush with a little egg and milk mixture, let rise for 30 minutes, bake for 25 to 35 minutes until golden, and top with the cream cheese icing beaten with butter, icing sugar, and vanilla.
Preparing Spiced Apple Crumble Cake
This comforting bake serves nine people, taking 25 minutes of prep time and 50 to 60 minutes of cooking time. Ingredients include 450g green apples that are peeled, cored, and cubed, the juice of 1 lemon, 175g caster sugar plus 4tbsp, 175g softened butter plus extra for greasing, 2 large eggs, 175g sifted self-raising flour, 1tsp pumpkin spice mix, and 50g ground almonds. The crumble topping features 50g plain flour, 1tsp pumpkin spice mix, 50g chilled diced butter, and 2tbsp demerara sugar.
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius, 150 degrees Celsius fan, or gas mark 3, and grease and line a 20cm square cake tin with parchment paper. Make the crumble by rubbing flour, spice mix, and butter together until it resembles breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar. Cook the apples, lemon juice, 2tbsp water, and 4tbsp sugar in a saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves, bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 5 minutes until tender.
Beat the remaining sugar and butter until pale and creamy, beat in eggs one at a time with a spoonful of flour, and gently fold in the remaining flour, spice mix, and ground almonds. Transfer the batter to the tin, press the cooked apples slightly into the top, cover with the crumble mixture, and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 30 minutes before slicing into squares.
