Serves 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Source, BBC Good Food

// 1 medium-sized pumpkin or round squash (about 1kg)
//  4 tbsp olive oil
// 100g wild rice
// 1 large fennel bulb
// 1 Bramley apple
// 1 lemon, zested and juiced
// 1 tbsp fennel seeds
// ½ tsp chilli flakes
// 2 garlic cloves, crushed
// 30g pecans,toasted and roughly chopped
// 1 large pack parsley, roughly chopped
// 3 tbsp tahini
// pomegranate seeds, to serve

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the top off the pumpkin or squash and use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds. Get rid of any pithy bits but keep the seeds for another time (see our pumpkin seed recipe ideas). Put the pumpkin on a baking tray, rub with 2 tbsp of the oil inside and out, and season well. Roast in the centre of the oven for 45 mins or until tender, with the ‘lid’ on the side

2. Meanwhile, rinse the wild rice well and cook following pack instructions, then spread out on a baking tray to cool. Thinly slice the fennel bulb and apple, then squeeze over ½ the lemon juice to stop them discolouring.

3. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Fry the fennel seeds and chilli flakes, then, once the seeds begin to pop, stir in ½ the garlic and the fennel. Cook for 5 mins until softened, then mix through the apple, pecans and lemon zest. Remove from the heat. Add the mixture to the the cooked rice, then stir in the chopped parsley and taste for seasoning.

4. Pack the mixture into the cooked pumpkin and return to the oven for 10-15 mins until everything is piping hot. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining lemon juice with the tahini, the rest of the garlic and enough water to make a dressing. Serve the pumpkin in the middle of the table, topped with pomegranate seeds and the dressing.

Serves 16
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
by Charlotte, Lily’s Bake Box

// 225g unsalted butter chopped into cubes, plus a little for greasing
//  200g white chocolate chips
// 175g plain flour
// ½ tsp baking powder
// 200g soft light brown sugar
// 100g golden caster sugar
// 3 large eggs
// 2 tsp vanilla paste
// ½ packet Lotus biscuits
// ½ jar Lotus Biscoff spread

1. Grease and line a tray bake tin and preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Line the bottom of the baking tray with the half packet of Lotus biscuits.
3. Over a gently simmering saucepan, melt the butter and a 100g of the white chocolate chips. Make sure it doesn’t burn. Once melted put to one side to cool for 15 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder with a pinch of salt.
5. Place the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until the mixture becomes thick and foamy. The mixture will leave a trail on top for a few seconds and that’s when you know it’s ready.
6. To the sugar and egg mixture add two heaped spoonfuls of the Biscoff spread and whisk in.
7. Add the vanilla to the melted chocolate and butter – it will have separated so give it a good stir. Add that to the sugar and egg mixture. Fold with a spatula until all fully combined.
8. Sieve in the flour mixture and fold until combined then add in the rest of the chocolate drops.
9. Pour into the tin and spread evenly. Dollop the Biscoff spread over the top randomly and as much as you like. Then crumble a couple of the biscuits on top.
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean with a few crumbs on. Leave to cool in the baking tin then cut into squares. Enjoy!