Swirled Pumpkin Brownies

THE PERFECT FALL DESSERT

Having said that, if you’re anything like me, Halloween isn’t your favorite holiday. When I visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida this past summer, I went into full-on fangirl mode and bought a Quidditch sweater, rationalizing the $75 purchase by saying it would serve as my Halloween costume for life. It’s time to hang up and log out, as you no longer need to spend hours looking. Get out of the habit of buying holiday decorations that will soon be obsolete.

And yet, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t take pleasure in the season’s many cheesy trappings. The abundance of pumpkin-spiced sweets, the Jack-o’-lanterns, hay bales, corn stalks, the red and orange leaves, the apple picking, the free flow of spiced cider, and everything else that comes with autumn!

Swirled Pumpkin Brownies with a rich, luscious brownie base and molten pumpkin spice layers were a hit at our Halloween party this year, and that’s saying something since I’m more of a fall girl than a Halloween girl and my seasonal spirit isn’t as fiery as some.

These brownies are a cinch to whip up and yield a dense, fudgy treat studded with pecans (or your nut of choice) and finished with a satisfyingly crunchy crust. These brownies have been devoured by many friends and family members. For brownies, this is the only recipe we use.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE PUMPKIN MIXTURE:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of pumpkin puree
• 2/3 cup of sugar
• ¼ cup of vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg

FOR THE CHOCOLATE MIXTURE:

• 340g of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (chopped)
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 9 tablespoons of butter (cut into pieces)
• 1 1/2 cups of toasted and coarsely chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of sugar (plus 2 tablespoons)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, preferably. Prepare a 10×10-inch or 13×9-inch baking pan by lining the bottom and all the way up the sides with parchment paper.
2. Create the pumpkin filling first. Combine the baking soda, flour, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Place aside. Sugar, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin puree, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg should be beaten together in a large bowl. The flour mixture should be folded in gently until just incorporated.
3. The next step is to whip up the batter for the brownies. Over low heat, melt 9 tablespoons of butter.
4. Put the chocolate in and mix it while keeping the heat low until it melts and becomes smooth. Turn off the stove and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract until combined. Integrate the eggs one at a time while beating. The batter is ready when it is smooth, glossy, and pulling away from the sides of the pan after being mixed for a full minute after the flour has been added. Add the chopped nuts and mix well.
5. Then, using a rubber spatula, evenly distribute half of the chocolate batter in the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining pumpkin batter or about 2/3 of it. Fill in the gaps with the remaining chocolate coating.
6. Apply the leftover pumpkin batter to the pan in four even stripes. Slather pumpkin batter with butter and then cut it into diagonal stripes (the knife should be perpendicular to the stripes).
7. It takes about 50-55 minutes to bake until the center is firm. Let cool in the pan for a while before pulling out and cutting into squares. Make the brownies in the morning and enjoy them in the evening while greeting trick-or-treaters since their flavor improves with cooling and setting.