Bonfire Night is a fun November event, and there’s several different foods we enjoy during the festivities. Anything you roast over an open fire is fair game, as are sweet foods!
We don’t tend to roast food over an open fire nowadays, but we still associate Bonfire Night food with warm roasts and easy-to-heat soups. We’ve rounded up a few Bonfire Night food traditions, as well as some more recent Bonfire Night favourites.
Yorkshire Parkin
Parkin is a sticky, moist cake that’s extremely comforting when eaten. It’s a staple of Bonfire Night celebrations in the north of England, though southerners don’t tend to eat it as much as we do. The exact parkin recipe differs a bit depending on where it’s made; we tend to associate the Yorkshire version with the Leeds and Bradford areas.
Yorkshire parkin uses ginger, treacle and oatmeal in its recipe. It’s actually the oatmeal that separates Yorkshire parkin from other versions. If you want to enjoy the taste of Yorkshire, or a great Bonfire Night cake, Yorkshire parkin is a superb choice.
Toffee Apples
This is a whole apple dipped in melted sugar, with a lot of recipes using golden syrup as well. Apparently the recipe is a happy accident; sweet maker William Kolb was trying new ideas for recipes when he dropped an apple in some melted toffee. Today, we tend to eat toffee apples during Halloween and Bonfire Night, when apples are widely available.
Toffee apples live on beyond autumn events, though. The flavour is so popular it appears in sponges and other cakes, giving them a delightfully sweet flavour.
Potatoes Wrapped in Foil
Traditionally we bake Bonfire Night potatoes in the hot ashes of a bonfire. Of course, you can bake potatoes in the oven instead before the fireworks start. They’re a classic comfort food, and you can put whatever you want on them once they’re cooked.
Cheese is the most popular topping at Bonfire Night; with plenty of halal cheeses available, you’ll really be spoilt for choice! If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, try adding sour cream, beetroot and kosher feta for a deliciously indulgent dinner.
Classic Bonfire Night Soups
Soup is another excellent food to enjoy over Bonfire Night. Try these variants to keep warm over the chilly autumn evenings.
Spicy Parsnip Soup
Parsnips are best enjoyed during the autumn and winter months. Add a bit of curry powder to the soup while you’re cooking it for an added spicy kick. Onion bhajis also pair very well with this soup.
Pumpkin Soup
Instead of carving a pumpkin this autumn, why not eat one instead? Try mixing pumpkin with butternut squash and a hint of saffron for a rich, warming meal. It’s a wonderful way to bring those autumnal flavours onto the dinner table.
Tamarind Red Lentil Soup
This is a spicy, crowd-pleasing soup that’s great for livening up a social event. Mix lentils, chillies, onion, garlic, ginger and tomatoes with tamarind concentrate and coconut cream. The result is a delightful mix of flavours.
Modern Bonfire Night food traditions
Bonfire S’mores
S’mores aren’t exactly Bonfire Night food traditions. They’re an American campfire favourite; each one consists of melted marshmallow and chocolate, sandwiched between two cookies. However, in recent years they’ve become a popular treat at Bonfire Night celebrations as well.
You can make them yourself by using gelatin-free marshmallows; look out for them at your local supermarket or online. Our almond cookies are an excellent choice for s’mores, though our coconut cookies and wafers are great options as well.
Parkin Popcorn
Feeling a bit more adventurous? Our Parkin Popcorn adds a fun twist to an old favourite.
Take some of our ready-to-eat sweet popcorn, and add some mixed spice and ground ginger to your bowl. If you want a more treacly effect, add a spoon of golden syrup and a spoon of black treacle to the mix as well. Give it a good stir, and have a spoon on hand when you eat it!
Luxury Hot Chocolate
When we say “luxury hot chocolate”, we think of a hot chocolate with a few fun extras on top of it. These fun extras can be anything you want; why not experiment with a few different options?
Salted caramel is a fun addition to hot chocolate.
If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, you could mix white hot chocolate with coconut milk. A pinch of cardamom will also add some extra warmth.
If you’re feeling peckish, our cake rusks and fairy cakes are an excellent hot chocolate companion as well.
We hope you enjoyed our list of Bonfire Night food traditions, and that you’ve found some sweet treats you can enjoy.
Try exploring our range of products to find the perfect Bonfire Night foods for you.
Fancy getting some exclusive offers on Regal products? Sign up to our newsletter to get offers and important updates sent straight to your inbox.
Whatever you enjoy, have a great Bonfire Night, and enjoy the brilliant firework displays across the UK!
