Home sweet home

Michelin-starred kitchens and focusing on his home and family, which has proved the inspiration for his new book, Marcus At Home,

which is published by HarperCollins, priced £20

Pumpkin soup with maple-toasted seeds (serves 8)

1 pumpkin, preferably with blue/grey skin, 2kg approx

1 bay leaf

1 sprig of rosemary

125g butter

1tsp sea salt

250ml milk

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the maple-toasted seeds:

60g pumpkin seeds

1tbsp maple syrup

1/2tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve

1/4tsp sea salt

Peel and quarter the pumpkin, reserving the skin and seeds.

Cut the pumpkin flesh into rough 2cm chunks, and set aside.

Put the skin, seeds, trimmings, bay leaf and rosemary in a large saucepan. Cover with about 2.5 litres water, bring to the boil and simmer for one hour. Strain and reserve the stock.

While the stock is simmering, preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

To make the seeds, mix together the pumpkin seeds, maple syrup, olive oil and salt. Scatter evenly on a baking tray and bake for eight to 10 minutes, until golden. Remove and allow to cool, then roughly chop.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat, and add the pumpkin chunks and one teaspoon of salt. Cook for about five minutes, until the pumpkin starts to soften.

Pour in about half of the pumpkin stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, until the pumpkin is completely soft and starting to break down. Stir in the milk, remove the rosemary sprig and bay leaf.

Using a stick blender (or transfer to a food processor), blitz until completely smooth, adding more stock as required. Season to taste.

Serve the soup hot, scattered with the maple-toasted pumpkin seeds and drizzled with oil.

lemon fudge puddings (makes 6)

100g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

150g caster sugar, plus 2tbsp extra

2 eggs

Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons

125g plain flour

1tsp baking powder

Creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream, to serve

For the fudge:

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

200g condensed milk

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Lightly butter six ramekin dishes and sprinkle evenly with the two tablespoons of sugar.

To make the lemon fudge, combine the lemon zest and juice and condensed milk. Set aside.

For the puddings, put the eggs and 150g caster sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk on a high speed until light and fluffy.

Stir the butter, lemon zest and juice into the eggs and sugar, then fold in the flour and baking powder.

Put a good spoonful of the pudding mixture into the bottom of the ramekins. Spoon the lemon fudge on top. Finish by spooning the remaining lemon pudding mix over the fudge.

Smooth over the surface with a palette knife.

Sit on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, until the puddings puff up and become golden.

Leave to rest for a minute or two and serve with a spoonful of creme fraiche or ice cream spooned over the top.