Monster face pumpkin scones

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the pumpkin or butternut squash in a heatproof bowl, then cover and microwave on high for 5-8 minutes until tender. Carefully remove the lid. Mash the pumpkin or squash with a fork, cool, then cover and chill in the fridge until cold.

Step 2

Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, ½ tsp salt and butter to a food processor bowl. Pulse until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add the chilled mashed pumpkin and milk then pulse until the mixture comes together. Don’t overmix it or the scones will be tough.

Step 3

Dust the work surface with a little flour. Tip out the scone mixture and roll out delicately until about 2-3cm thick. Using a 7cm cookie cutter, stamp out 6 circles and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 16 minutes until well risen and golden, then leave to cool on a wire rack.

Step 4

As the scones bake, make the monster eyes. Glue 1 chocolate button onto the end of a piece of biscuit stick (if using). Next, glue an eye onto each chocolate button. Repeat until you have 6 pairs of eyes. Set on a plate in the fridge to chill.

Step 5

When the scones are cool, cut in ½. Warm the jam until runny. Spread 2 tsp of clotted cream on the bottom of each scone and 1 tsp under the lid. Set the mini marshmallows as teeth along the front top and bottom edge of each scone, using the cream as glue. Pour 1 tbsp warm raspberry jam over each cream base.

Step 6

Close the lid of each carefully to avoid knocking the teeth, then dust with a little icing sugar. Finish by gently planting the eyes on sticks into the scones or without sticks on top. Gently pushing down will make the jam squirt out and give the monsters scary smiles.