When the leaves start turning brown and orange the smell of cinnamon and pumpkin fills the air. The weather becomes gloomy and cold, autumn has come. The best part about the fall is the treats that come with it. At HHS the top 3 fall treats are Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Bread, and Caramel Apples.
Making all of these treats is simple. The first step is finding good recipes. The amount of ingredients will vary depending on your desired amount.
Baking a classic pumpkin pie consists of multiple tools. A simple recipe includes what’s needed, the ingredients needed for this dessert are Pie crusts (either store-bought, or homemade), Pumpkin Puree, and Sweetened and condensed milk (you can substitute for almond or oat milk), which adds a creamy texture to your recipe. You will also need eggs to help bind your treat and a teaspoon of pumpkin spice.
The next step is to mix all of your ingredients together and pour them into the pie crust. Then prepare the oven at 425 degrees and bake for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes have passed set it in again at 350 degrees until your filling is complete and fully set.
Our very own Culinary, as well as Foods and Nutrition, teacher Kelsey Sentney spoke about her family’s pumpkin pie traditions and funny family stories. She says “My family and I really like the crust, though my sister doesn’t. One year she got blamed for eating my aunt’s crust, even though she doesn’t eat it.”
Pumpkin Bread is another extremely popular fall treat, with a simple recipe. The ingredients needed are flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder, cinnamon, eggs, olive oil or vegetable oil so the flour doesn’t take over your treat, and pumpkin puree.
You can also add other ingredients such as a tsp of vanilla extract. Other popular add-ons are chocolate chips, nuts, seeds, dried cranberries, or even raisins.
The next step is to whisk all of the dry ingredients together. In a second bowl whisk all of your wet ingredients together such as the pumpkin puree, the eggs, and the vanilla (if added).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and then prep your desired pan. You can prep your pan by covering it with flour or oil so it won’t stick. Baking time will take about 45 minutes to an hour, plus a 15-minute cooling period for when it’s complete.
Senior Kylee Armstrong spoke about her preference for pumpkin bread and how she likes to enjoy it. She said, “I like the tartness that the pumpkins give, and the sweetness of the chocolate chips.”
Pumpkin treats give a fall essence, though it is a winter squash, it is more popularized during fall.