Monday, November 7, 2011

Butternut Squash Brownies: They're Impressive (Really)

When I met up with Valerie back in September, we reminisced about the chocolate zucchini blog party we co-sponsored earlier that month. I suggested that perhaps butternut squash and chocolate could be mixed in a recipe; she suggested that perhaps I was insane.

A fair suggestion. I thus abandoned my plan for making butternut squash brownies, until Thursday, when in a conversation with somebody who may or may not be trying to impress, it was suggested that I should, in fact, try to make butternut squash brownies.

(Some people will take this as an opportunity to question whether or not this person is who they think it is, and before obnoxious commentary can ensue, the answer is “yes.”)

So here we go. Combining two unlikely ingredients into delicious, spicy brownies with a slightly cakier texture than my normal brownies.

Butternut Squash Brownies

5 tablespoons butter

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1 ½ cups butternut squash puree (see below)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup flour

Butternut squash puree

2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter, melted

2 tablespoons maple syrup

To make the butternut squash puree, toss butternut squash, butter, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Roast at 400° F for 35-40 minutes, or until soft, stirring every 10 minutes. Run through a food processor.

Melt butter and chocolate together over low heat, set aside to cool slightly. Mix sugars and butternut squash puree, then add chocolate-butter mixture. Add eggs one at a time, then add cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt. Gently stir in flour until just incorporated, pour into an 8”x8” pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° F for 30-35 minutes.

Then use them to impress anybody and everybody.

Have you ever made brownies with squash in them?

20 comments:

  1. I'm going to try this. Sounds delish.

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  2. Thank you,I not only love Chocolate But I also love Squash and you just gave me both of my passions .. This I am going to make this week for an event...

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  3. This sounds awesome! I made some sort of pumpkin chocolate brownie-like thing once so butternut squash doesn't sound too far-fetched to me. These sound delicious.

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  4. You're a genius!! I'm going to try to make some of these!!

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  5. maybe a tiny bit more butter or a splash of coffee would increase the gooey factor (rather than cakey?)

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  6. I've only used pumpkin puree in brownies, but I can imagine using butternut squash instead!

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  7. That sounds delicious! I love things baked with squash and pumpkin in the fall!

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  8. Genius. Just enough healthy that they make a perfectly acceptable meal, right?

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  9. I hope that said person was impressed! They should be.

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  10. I haven't ever made butternut squash brownies but I have made zucchini brownies. Does that count?

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  11. I just want to eat the puree! That sounds so gooooood :)

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  12. Aaah! Two of my favorite foods ever! I live on winter squash during Dec - Feb! Never made brownies, but have made all sorts of cakes with squash! yum.

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  13. Pumpkin + chocolate = amazing, so this is awesome by default. If you want these brownies to be less cakey/more chewy, you can cook down the puree until most of the water is gone. Maybe that's a better idea if using canned pumpkin just so you're not doing that in addition to the peeling/cubing/roasting...

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  14. Yusss, another way to get me to like butternut squash!

    Best of luck in all your impressioning efforts (I make you sound like a plastic mold or something, but I know you're a person. ...although your hardcore athleticism makes me wonder if you're not a sleek and shiny fembot:)

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  15. And the end result?? Impressed??

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  16. This is a new one for me. Looks wonderful!

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  17. I am definitely obsessed with butternut squash, but you put it into brownies and that is even better than any other way I've eaten it!

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  18. This sounds so unique! I will totally impress my family (I'm the resident baker. I was originally looking for a recipe for pumpkin brownies but this butternut one looks scrumptious!

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  19. So I am baking this right now! Batter tastes yummy! I will update when it's done.

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