This pumpkin fondue will make a delicious seasonal centrepiece

This fondue is great fun to make and eat, and a delicious seasonal centrepiece. I always use smaller pumpkins as decorations around the house at this time of year and the best part is we can eat them afterwards. The pumpkin is so sweet and tasty once roasted, it makes a perfect cauldron filled with melted cheese sauce. Keep the pumpkin seeds and roast them with herbs and spices to add crunch and flavour. You can also use the seeds to make pumpkin butter or toast them and add to a batch of home-made granola.

Wherever there are cheese boards, there are inevitably leftovers. This fondue is the perfect melting pot for all sorts of cheese scraps. I always let my kids grate the cheese, they love getting involved in the kitchen and midterm break is the perfect opportunity. It is always good to learn how to make something other than cupcakes and this is a great savoury crowd pleaser.

My first fondue experience was after a busy day traipsing around the Swiss Alps. I was not aware that a hike was on the agenda that day and wore my sandals, much to my detriment. As we sat with our feet in a stream of ice cold water half way down the mountain, my husband promised me the local restaurant made the best fondue. They truly did. We ate quite a substantial amount of cheese that evening, nibbling pickled gherkins and knocking back tiny glasses of kirsch.

Fondue is such a sociable dish and great for a Halloween party. All you need is a freshly baked baguette or toasted slices of sourdough bread for dipping into the bubbling pumpkin. This cheese won’t give you nightmares this Halloween.

Recipe: Pumpkin fondue

Lilly’s kitchen tips:

1. Leave carving your pumpkin until the last minute and spray the inside with vinegar so mould doesn’t begin to form. Use a cold LED battery light instead of a warm candle.
2. Carve your pumpkin so that you can set aside as much of the pumpkin flesh as possible. It’s perfect roasted for soup with some coconut milk, ginger and garlic.
3. Save your pumpkin seeds and wash and dry them completely. Store them in an envelope and write the variety name on the outside. They’ll be perfect for planting next year.