Samhain - Halloween - All Hallows Eve - October 31 to November 1, in the Northern Hemisphere - is a Celtic festival marking the end of harvest season and the beginning of winter and is considered to be the darker half of the year. The skies are turning grey, the leaves have fallen from the trees and the garden is bare. It is a time where we honour the dead, protect the living and petition the spirits for wisdom and prediction.
Death is a reoccurring theme during this time as boundaries dissolve and the veils between worlds during equinoxes and solstices are at their thinnest. That is why it is believed that the spirits, faeries, ancestors and darker entities could more easily roam our lands as the portal between our world and theirs is considered to be at its thinnest; therefore we want to honour and hold offerings to our ancestors, the dead, the departed and the otherworldly for this reason.
Samhain is a magical time. As the dark half of the year begins, death is followed by rebirth, the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year, it's a time of rest and reflection as we go inward to honour the darkness as we descend into winter and the darker half of the year. Remember... light is born from darkness and darkness has potential and growth... through death we find rebirth.
Other festivals celebrated during or around this time are: Day of the Dead (Mexico), Day of those who have Died/Undas/Araw ng mea Yomao (Philippines), Dia de Finados (Brazil), All Saints' Day (Christian), All Souls' Day (Roman Catholic & Christian), Hallowmas (Christian), Martinmas/Armistice Day (Scottish/British/UK), Remembrance Day (Canada/World, November), The Huron Feast of the Dead (Wyandot Nation - Canadian, Ontario, Canada) and another Celtic tradition, Feast of the Dead/Féile Na Marbh, (Irish) and Diwali (Hindu, mid-October/mid-November, movable).
I've said optional for the caramel sauce because honestly you don't need it to devilishly devour one of these squares however I found it an absolute must as it gives them such a luscious bewitching sweetness, so scrumptious and wicked! They did not last long around our house, with many, including myself preferring these squares over a slice of pumpkin pie. Perfect for Samhain / Halloween celebrations.
Samhain Blessings and Happy Hallowe'en!
Pumpkin Walnut Squares
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1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup cold butter, cubed
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 large eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten
1 can (398 ml / 15 oz) solid packed pumpkin
1 can (300 ml / 14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground all spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Icing sugar, optional
caramel sauce, optional
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
In a medium bowl mix the flour, sugars together. Cut in the butter until crumbly, it should resemble an oatmeal texture. Stir in the walnuts. Reserve 1 cup of crumb mixture for topping and press the remaining crumb mixture on the bottom and half way up the sides of a 9 x 13 inch rectangle baking dish.
In a large bowl beat the eggs, pumpkin, condensed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice and salt together until smooth. Pour onto the crust and sprinkle with the reserved crumb topping.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Cut into squares and lightly dust with icing sugar and drizzle caramel sauce over top before serving. The squares are best served warm however they may be refrigerated and served cold. Leftovers should be stored in an air tight container and stored in the fridge.
