Pumpkin & Brown Butter Blondies

I'm still in complete denial about that fact that it's Spring already, and it seems that the weather gods are too. It's been super chilly and rainy the last couple weekends in Sydney, which has been bad for any outdoor plans, but great for baking! While I am lucky enough to have a few more chilly afternoons, I've been loving everything to do with pumpkin. We've been eating tons of roasted pumpkin and parsnip with our dinners, and I've been wanting to use pumpkin puree in all my baking.

I decided to adapt my recipe for banoffee blondies with pumpkin, spices and white chocolate chips to make these Pumpkin & Brown Butter Blondies. I'm still completely in love with brown butter with it's nutty smell and gorgeous gold colour, it's a perfect match for pumpkin. I was excited to try using the blondie recipe again, it's honestly one of the most delicious and indulgent desserts I've baked. This one is a little less sweet and rich since it doesn't have the dulce de leche and chocolate sauce, but the addition of brown butter and all kinds of spices makes this slice moreish and fragrant. It's like the love-child of a brownie and a pumpkin pie. Sounds pretty good right? Assuming you like pumpkin pie and brownies...

They turned out a little bit thinner than the banoffee blondies, maybe the puree made them slightly more dense so they didn't rise as much, so I've adjusted the recipe to use a slightly smaller baking pan. They're definitely not the prettiest things I've ever baked, the white chocolate chips go all brown on top in the oven which makes them look kinda fugly, but I love the little pops of sweetness that the white chocolate gives them.

The colour of these blondies is as gorgeous and bright as anything else I've ever baked with pumpkins. Maybe next time I might try mixing all the chocolate chips into the batter rather than sprinkling it on top so it won't have the ugly brown bumps on top. I still have heaps of leftover pumpkin puree so I think I might have to whip up some pumpkin pancakes with cinnamon butter. I must be one of the few people in Sydney who is hoping we have a few more cooler days so that I can enjoy my pumpkin desserts. For those of you in the northern hemisphere this recipe is perfect for autumn, enjoy!

Pumpkin & Brown Butter Blondies
(adapted from my Banoffee Blondies, makes approx 20)
115g (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (110g) packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup pumpkin puree fresh or canned (I made fresh by steaming chopped pieces of butternut pumpkin til tender and blitzing in food processor, you won't need more than 1/4 of a pumpkin)
1 cup (about 150g) plain flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice (if unavailable just use ground cloves)
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Brush a 20cm (8-inch) square baking pan (I used a 17x27cm slice/brownie tin but found it was a tad too large) with some melted butter; line pan with a piece of baking paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter paper.

Prepare the brown butter; place butter in a small saucepan on low heat until it melts, continue to stir over low heat but keep a close eye on it, as it begins to bubble and the milk solids separate and settle at the bottom of the pan. Stir it frequently at this point, so that the milk solids do not settle at the bottom of the pan for too long and burn. Continue until the mixture turns brown and smells nutty but take care not to leave it for too long or it will taste burnt. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, lightly whisk browned butter and sugars until smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla and pumpkin puree. Add cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, flour and salt; stir just until moistened (do not overmix). Fold in 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with remaining white chocolate chips.

Bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes (25-30 mins for the larger pan). Set pan on a wire rack, and let cool completely. Using parchment overhang, lift cake from pan and transfer to a cutting board; cut into 20 pieces. Blondies can be stored for several days in an airtight container in the fridge. Serve at room temperature.