That was quick!  I think I'll have a go with the standard method and assuming that goes well try this variation as a half mixture.

In case anyone is after some recipes using yoghurt, the easy-yo site has a glut of them:

http://www.easiyo.com/recipes/

Hi Amanda,

Thanks for that. I work at Norwest a couple of days a week so the Castle Hill store isn't far away.

cheers,
tony

I used a good quality Dutch cocoa and they are rich and gorgeous and deserving of a place as a formal dessert with a berry couli and some good cream!!

Hi Amanda, where did you buy your dutch cocoa?  I've looked everywhere around here, googled it, requested info from Better Homes & Gardens (the interestingly named "Fast Ed" uses it all the time) - all to no avail.

Thanks,
tony

I've done a couple of batches now.

Using Jap/Kent I noticed the seeds are much smaller and softer than the seeds in the Golden Nugget.

In my first batch I removed the seeds after cooking with the pulp to make a stock (more below on this).

In my second batch I blitzed the seeds at the end. Despite being cooked for about 90 minutes I still detected minor gritiness in the stock. As I'd only blitzed the seeds and stock mix I was able to strain the seed fragments out.

Taste wise I didn't detect any difference in the batches so I don't think there is any disadvantage in not removing the seeds. However there is a lot of pumpkin flavour in the stock leading me to believe that this provides a real flavour boost.

I used a fairly simply pumpkin soup recipe that is designed to get the best out of the pumpkin. It's been modified from one I've used before, orginally from Cooks Illustrated.

Quarter one small onion or 2 french shallots in  at speed 5 for 3-5 seconds
Add 50g of butter
Cook at 100 for 2 mins on speed 1
Add seeds and pulp from 1kg Jap pumpkin
Cook at 100 for 4 mins reverse soft
Add 1000g of water
Put diced pumpkin in varoma (keep skin on pumpkin but wash and remove any hard bits)
Cook for 60 mins at Varoma temp speed reverse soft
** NB: Cook until the pumpkin and skin is very soft. May need extra time
Strain pumpkin stock and discard seeds and pulp
Return stock to  along with pumpkin
Blitz at speed 9 for around 30 seconds until smooth
Add 1 ts brown sugar and 1/2 cup cream
Add salt to taste. Around 1ts is a what I used but take care particularly if using salted butter
Mix on speed 5 for about 5 seconds

I'm still determining the optimum time to cook the pumpkin to ensure a soft skin that will ensure it is very smooth.

We really like the taste and simplicity of the pumpkin flavour hence don't normally add other veges to this recipe.  I do cook a different recipe with sweet potato and carrot but the flavour is a different. The kids really like this one - nice to see them eating pumpkin!

So many helpful replies!

Cathy, when I mentioned grainy I realised I should have said gritty.  I think it was the seeds. I've since cut another of these pumpkins up and they have a huge amount of seeds.

My reasons for including the seeds and pulp as a large amount of flavour comes from this area. I have numerous recipes frying them off and removing the seeds before finished. I might try something similar today. I'll pick up a Kent/Jap and give it a go. Maybe I can use the basket?

I had a feeling it was the seeds.  But they looked really big and hard.

I suppose my question is really; What types of pumpkin can you not de-seed or peel?

The de-seeding is pretty easy, but given a lot of the flavour comes from the seeds and pulp I'd prefer not to do this.

Removing the skin is a real pain though. Not one of my favourite jobs that's for sure.

Yes, much happier.

I've also added some further comments about when they're ready. Most were a really light golden but a couple got darker. The light golden are still slightly soft when you eat them - really awesome.

I really need to get some proper baking trays though. You can only fit 9 of these at a time on my tray and I only had one tray worth using!