Squash Blondie

Squash Blondie

With lots of spice and white chocolate

Sweet roasted squash with the right amount of spice and finished with white chocolate gives a similar opulence to give conventional brownies a run for their money. Roasting squash in spices and a little sugar deepens the flavour, as does browning the butter. This brings a nutty richness that characterised the blondie. Be brave and get a good deep colour.

Makes 12
Preparation time: 15 minutes + 45 baking squash
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
A firm squash such as butternut, meteor or crown prince
Ground cinnamon
Mixed Spice
Oil
Salt
Demerara sugar
150g butter
200g soft dark brown sugar
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
120g squash puree
170g plain flour
100g white chocolate (optional)
Preheat the oven to 170°C

1. Start by making the squash puree. This is a sweet puree which can be used in lots of recipes from a pumpkin pie to adding in an apple crumble. Peel, deseed and chop the squash into 1 inch chunks. Toss in a little oil, a pinch of salt, a few pinched of demerara and a light dusting of spices. Roast uncovered in the oven until tender, before mashing or puree.

2. While the squash is roasting, melt the butter in a pan and continue cooking it until the foam subsides and the solids begin to brown. Do not let the solids burn but take them dark. To stop the cooking pour immediately into the mixing bowl.

3. Line a 24cm x 20cm brownie tin with parchment paper.

4. Once the squash puree is cool, whisk the butter and sugar until creamed. Then add the whole egg and beat well before adding the yolks.

5. Whisk in the puree followed by the flour, a teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of mixed spice and a quarter of a nutmeg.

6. Fold through the white chocolate and pour into the prepared tin, levelling the surface. Sprinkle some coarse sea salt over the top sparingly for a delicious crunch.

7. Bake for 20 minutes and leave to cool in the tin. There should be a uniform wobble and tenderness to the middle of the bake. This is the gooey middle. If it over cooks this will disappear and leave a dense cakey texture.

8. Cut once cool and enjoy!


Chef Notes:
1. The seeds can be roasted in sugar for a lovely garnish.
2. The sweet roasted chunks of squash are delicious in a crumble with custard.