When I saw the photograph of the pumpkin brownies on the Streaming Gourmet blog a while back, I knew they would find their way onto my October baking list. Pumpkin. Chocolate. What's not to love? And when more careful reading revealed that they were a modification of Martha's pumpkin brownie recipe, I dug through my old magazines to compare.
In the end, I opted for a blend of both recipes. I kept the cayenne pepper. Simply because I've never added cayenne pepper to brownies before and I was intrigued. But I chose brown sugar over white. And semi-sweet chocolate rather than bittersweet. And extra cinnamon and nutmeg. I've never found a recipe that uses enough of those.
Spiciness aside, the resulting brownies were delicious, if slightly molten in spots. True to form, I didn't bother to measure the batter when I divided it. Accurate measurements. Who needs 'em? As a result, the chocolate portion could have used more batter and less chocolate. But I didn't hear anyone complaining.
Pumpkin brownies. A meal in a square. Definitely one for the Halloween recipe box.
In the end, I opted for a blend of both recipes. I kept the cayenne pepper. Simply because I've never added cayenne pepper to brownies before and I was intrigued. But I chose brown sugar over white. And semi-sweet chocolate rather than bittersweet. And extra cinnamon and nutmeg. I've never found a recipe that uses enough of those.
It went something like this:
Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
1/2 cup butter
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Melt chocolate and butter.
Combine flour, baking powder and cayenne pepper.
Combine sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat well and add flour mixture.
Divide batter in half.
Add melted chocolate mixture to one and pumpkin, melted butter, cinnamon and nutmeg to the other.
Pour both in 9-inch pan, swirl with knife for marbled look.
Bake 45 minutes at 350F.
Eat.
I sifted and mixed and swirled. And the batters came together nicely. At this point, I was convinced that the tiny amount of cayenne pepper would be completely undetectable in the midst of all that chocolate and cinnamon. I was wrong. In hindsight, I would eliminate the cayenne pepper. I've decided that I don't like my brownies spicy. And they were spicy. There is no denying the power of cayenne pepper.
Spiciness aside, the resulting brownies were delicious, if slightly molten in spots. True to form, I didn't bother to measure the batter when I divided it. Accurate measurements. Who needs 'em? As a result, the chocolate portion could have used more batter and less chocolate. But I didn't hear anyone complaining.
Pumpkin brownies. A meal in a square. Definitely one for the Halloween recipe box.