A t this time of year, I aim to get as much pumpkin as I can into my meals, including desserts. If I’ve been organised, I’ll roast and puree some from scratch, but I seem always to have at least one tin of pumpkin puree to hand, which I can use quickly in anything from pumpkin pies to cookies and muffins. Here, it’s whipped into cream with some spices, then piped into crackly puffs of choux for a chic, autumnal dessert.

Chocolate and pumpkin spice choux buns

Prep 10 min

Cook 1 hr 15 min, plus cooling

Makes 12

For the chocolate craquelin

60g unsalted butter

65g light brown sugar

10g cocoa powder

65g plain flour

For the choux

50ml milk

45g unsalted butter

60g plain flour

1 tsp sugar

1 pinch salt

1-2 large eggs For the filling

150g pumpkin puree

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground cloves

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

90g cream cheese

75g icing sugar

150ml double cream

20g pecans , roughly chopped

Briefly mix the butter and sugar for the craquelin in a small bowl, until smooth and well…