Today's Halloween traditions are all about feasting on chocolate and sweets by the bucket-load, but you might be surprised to learn we’ve actually been celebrating this time of year with sugary treats since medieval times. ‘Souling’, the ancient precursor to trick-or-treating, involved the giving of a small, round cake in exchange for prayers to commemorate the dead during All Hallows' Eve (Halloween), All Saints' Day (1 November) and All Souls' Day (2 November). Known as soul cakes, they're actually more like shortbread in look and texture, and are traditionally fragranced with sweet spices and dried fruit, then topped with the mark of a cross.