COLUMN: Make sure to hide the extras of these popular brownies
Sometimes when I write these articles I have a cause that I want to shout about. Sometimes I have some kind of challenge to be healthy or to cook seasonally or something. Sometimes I even have lists of ideas of how to use certain foods or easy snack ideas.
But not today. Today, all I have for you is the most delicious Halloween recipe I have ever tried, tasted or made. Pumpkin. Swirl. Brownies. They are a mixture of rich brownie and spicy homemade pumpkin pie, and they are to die for.
Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
6 ounces (1 cup) semi sweet chocolate chips
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of cayenne pepper (about 1/8 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped (optional)
– If you have a double boiler, use it to melt the chocolate. If not, just fill a medium saucepan about a quarter of the way with water and bring it to a boil. Then, in a smaller saucepan combine the butter and chocolate chips.
– Place the smaller saucepan above the boiling water and stir the chocolate and butter until melted. Doing it this way rather than putting the butter and chocolate directly on the heat helps keep them from burning. When the mixture is totally melted and combined, set aside.
– In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper and salt. You may be iffy about putting cayenne pepper in brownies, but in this recipe it really helps bring out that spicy pumpkin pie flavor in the brownies. Trust me on this one.
– Meanwhile, in another mixing bowl combine the sugar, eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy and well-combined, about three minutes. Add the flour mixture and beat just until it’s incorporated.
– Divide the batter evenly between two bowls (there should be about two cups in each bowl). Stir the melted chocolate into one of the bowls of batter until all combined.
– Add the pumpkin, vegetable oil, cinnamon and nutmeg to the other bowl and stir until combined. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
– Here comes the fun part: scoop half of the chocolate batter into the prepared pan. Use a rubber spatula to spread it evenly across the bottom. Then top with half of the pumpkin batter and do the same thing.
– Repeat to make one more chocolate layer and one more pumpkin layer. Once all of the batter is evenly spread, use a butter knife to gently swirl the two batters together to make a marbled effect. You can do this by dragging the knife through the batters several times horizontally and vertically.
– When you are happy with your swirl (keeping in mind you won’t be able to see the swirl on top, it will show up when you cut the brownies) sprinkle with the hazelnuts* and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Test them with a toothpick to make sure that they are done.
*Note: toasting the hazelnuts (or any nuts) before you bake them on the brownies makes a huge difference. Just spread them out flat on a pan and bake at a high temperature in the oven until they get dark. Keep an eye on them while they’re toasting because it’s easy to burn them!
A few warnings: This recipe can be kind of a lot of work, so I suggest making it with a friend or two. It’s more fun that way, anyway.
Also, if you take a plate of these to a party they will not only outshine any other treat there and draw potentially unwanted attention to you, they will also get gobbled up instantly and you’ll be left with nothing but a plate of crumbs.
So I suggest you make your own pan before you go and hide them under your bed so you’ll have them when you get home.
Have a happy and delicious Halloween!
– Jennelle Clark is a senior in Psychology. For more seasonal recipes you can visit her blog at www.foodislikeart.blogspot.com. or email her at jenn.nelle@gmail.com