12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies - Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

A friend of mine mentioned these brownies and how delicious they were and that they actually replaced pumpkin pie at her families Thanksgiving dinner.  I thought I would make these this week because they are a little halloween-y looking.  I must admit that I preblogged these a couple weeks ago and....*blush* I didn't make them.  My mother-in-law was staying with us to help after Georgia arrived and she wanted something to do while everyone (me included) napped. 

This is a typical Martha Stewart recipe where it entails a lot of work.  I am not a huge fan of Martha but she is growing on me.  These brownies are really good but I don't like them for a couple of reasons.  1. I don't really like chocolate.  Blasphemy...I know...for me to like chocolate it has to be just right.  2. I like  my brownies to be chewy and these were rather cake-y 3. These are really sweet and I love sweet but this was just a bit too much.

Now everyone else loved them!  Mike agreed that they were too cake-y but he liked them and thought that they tasted very similar to Cheesecake Cafe's Pumpkin Cheesecake.  I do think I may be the only one who isn't a big fan of these brownies so please try them and let me know what you think.

Ingredients
adapted from Martha Stewart

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts or other nuts

Directions


1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan or dish. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; butter lining.

2.Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.

3.Whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture.

4.Divide batter between two medium bowls (about 2 cups per bowl). Stir chocolate mixture into one bowl. In other bowl, stir in pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan smoothing top with a rubber spatula. Top with half of pumpkin batter. Repeat to make one more chocolate layer and one more pumpkin layer. Work quickly so batters don't set.

5.With a small spatula or a table knife, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle with nuts.

6.Bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares.

Week 5 Twelve Weeks of Christmas: