Pumpkin & Corn Spoonbread with Cheddar

The recipe

Pumpkin & Corn Spoonbread with Cheddar

A soft, scoopable savoury bake with pumpkin, sweetcorn and cheddar. Drying the vegetables and cooking a thick milk base keeps the centre tender without turning watery.

Ingredients

• 450 g raw pumpkin flesh, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 150 g frozen sweetcorn kernels, weighed frozen
• 250 g pasteurised semi-skimmed milk
• 150 g raw egg without shells, approximately 3 medium eggs, separated
• 60 g dry plain wheat flour
• 4 g baking powder
• 100 g pasteurised cheddar made with vegetarian rennet, grated
• 30 g unsalted butter, divided into 5 g and 25 g
• 2 g fine salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 190°C conventional or 170°C fan. Grease a shallow 1.5-litre baking dish with 5 g butter. Keep the egg whites in a clean, grease-free mixing bowl and the yolks in a separate small bowl.
2. Put the pumpkin in a covered, vented microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 800 W for 10–14 minutes, stirring halfway, until completely tender. Carefully release the steam and drain off any liquid.
3. Mash the pumpkin, then transfer it to a wide saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir for 4–6 minutes until thick, with no watery liquid collecting around it and a spoon trail briefly remaining visible. Transfer to a bowl.
4. Put the frozen corn in the same saucepan over medium heat. Stir for 3–4 minutes until thawed and any released moisture has evaporated. Add it to the pumpkin.
5. Melt the remaining 25 g butter in the saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk, keeping the mixture smooth. Cook, stirring continuously, for another 3–4 minutes until it forms a thick paste that pulls away from the sides.
6. Remove from the heat. Stir in the pumpkin, corn, cheddar and salt. Spread the mixture slightly up the sides of the pan and leave for 10 minutes, until warm rather than hot.
7. Stir the egg yolks into the warm mixture, then sift over the baking powder and mix thoroughly. The mixture should be thick enough to mound softly on a spoon.
8. Whisk the egg whites until they hold firm peaks with slightly bending tips. Stir one-quarter into the pumpkin mixture to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest in two additions, stopping when no large white streaks remain.
9. Spoon immediately into the prepared dish and level gently. Bake for 30–35 minutes until puffed, golden and set in the centre. A skewer should emerge with moist crumbs rather than liquid batter; if necessary, bake for another 5 minutes.
10. Rest for 5 minutes, then serve warm with a large spoon. It will settle slightly as it stands and should be soft and scoopable. This original recipe has not been kitchen-tested.

Storage and reheating

Transfer leftovers to shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C. Keep at 4°C or below and use within 3 days. Reheat portions to 74°C throughout. The texture becomes firmer after chilling.

Substitutions and ingredient notes

Replace the pumpkin with the same edible weight of raw butternut squash, cooking until tender and drying the mash as directed. A mature vegetarian cheddar gives a stronger flavour. This recipe contains wheat, milk and eggs; check cheese, baking powder and any substitutes for allergen declarations and cross-contact warnings.

Estimated nutrition

356 kcal · 17g protein · 29.9g carbohydrate · 19.8g fat · 2.0g fibre per serving.

Calculated from measured ingredients and generic composition data. Brand choices and substitutions change the estimate.

Storage references: USDA leftover guidance · FSA food guidance