Featuring on ITV's Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh on Sunday 1st November 2026, Jekka will be sharing a little herbal magic inspired by the folklore and traditions of Halloween and Allhallowtide. From traditional soul cakes to lemon-thyme flapjacks for courage, discover how herbs have been used for centuries to celebrate remembrance, protection, love and good fortune.

Traditional Soul Cakes

Soul cakes are associated with Allhallowtide and the custom of “souling”. Around All Souls’ Day, soulers went from house to house asking for small cakes, food or drink in return for prayers or songs for the dead. The custom is documented in medieval England and was especially remembered in places including Shropshire and the Welsh Borders.

Souling is often regarded as one of the traditions that helped lead to the modern Halloween practice of trick-or-treating.

This recipe makes about 18 small cakes and takes about 20 minutes to prepare and 10-15 minutes to bake.

Ingredients

• 115g butter 
• 115g caster sugar 
• 2 egg yolks
• 300g plain flour 
• 1¼ teaspoons mixed spice
• 75g currants
• A little milk, to mix

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the egg yolks one at a time.
3. Sift the flour and mixed spice into a separate bowl, then add them to the butter, sugar and egg-yolk mixture.
4. Stir in the currants and add enough milk to make a soft dough, similar in texture to scone dough.
5. Roll out the dough and cut into small cakes with a biscuit cutter.
6. Mark each one with a cross and place on a greased or lined baking sheet
7. Bake for 10–15 minutes, until lightly golden at the edges.
8. Cool on a wire rack, then store in an airtight tin for up to 5 days.

A traditional cleansing bundle of sage, rosemary and bay, herbs historically associated with protection and purification. Tied together and gently smouldered, their fragrant smoke was believed to cleanse spaces and ward off negative influences.

Lemon-Thyme Flapjacks

Thyme has long been associated with courage and bravery. In medieval times, ladies were said to embroider sprigs of thyme onto tokens given to knights before battle, wishing them strength and courage.

Inspired by this charming tradition, Jekka's lemon-thyme flapjacks offer a delicious twist on a traditional potion for courage. Combining the delicate fragrance of lemon thyme with zesty lemon, golden syrup and oats, these sweet treats are perfect for a little boost of bravery!

Ingredients

• 175g unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons golden syrup
• 175g light brown sugar
• 350g porridge oats
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh lemon-thyme leaves

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F.
2. Line a 20cm square baking tin with baking paper.
3. Melt the butter with the golden syrup and light brown sugar over a low heat until combined.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the porridge oats, lemon zest and chopped lemon thyme until thoroughly mixed.
5. Transfer to the prepared tin and spread evenly.
6. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until golden brown. The centre should still be slightly soft when removed from the oven; it will firm as it cools.
7. Leave to cool for about 15 minutes before marking and cutting into squares. Allow to cool completely before lifting from the tin.

Want to Know More?

From traditional soul cakes to lemon-thyme flapjacks for courage, these recipes celebrate the fascinating folklore and traditions of Halloween and Allhallowtide.

At Jekka’s, we love that every herb has a story to tell. Whether used in the kitchen, grown in the garden or treasured for its history, herbs have connected people through generations.

Discover more about the folklore, magic and superstitions surrounding some of our favourite herbs in our blog, Herbs, Magic and Folklore: The Plants Behind Halloween.

For more culinary inspiration, explore Jekka’s Herb-Based Recipes.