Pumpkin Swirl Brownies with Ganache Frosting

A friend challenged me to recreate this "amazing" brownie she ate at a farmer's market in the city. Challenge accepted (obviously). She sent me an email with a good two paragraphs describing the brownie and the frosting, peppered with specificity. It was nice to hear another foodie describe the tastes and textures she experienced. I got super excited and after Thanksgiving craziness subsided, I got right to work.

These were fudgy brownies (cause I am NOT a cakey brownie person, then its just cake. Duh!). These were not just brownies with a little pumpkin in them. The pumpkin and chocolate batters are even and complement each other perfectly. Usually when there is a "swirl" in brownies, be it pumpkin or cheesecake, I find that the swirl part is lacking and not very good. Not the case with these! The pumpkin batter is every bit as good as the brownie. Are you excited now?

And I haven't even gotten to the frosting...which was excellent! It was very creamy and rich, just perfect. I couldn't resist the sprinkles.

PS: Forgive the picture. I took it at work with my camera phone because I forgot before I left the house!

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
Martha Stewart

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
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 cup 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

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking pan (original recipe calls for a 9 inch square pan, but mine turned out plenty thick).

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

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 miser fitter with the paddle attachment; beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture.

Divide batter between two medium bowls. Stir chocolate mixture into one bowl. In another bowl, stir 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 wont set.

With a small spatula, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect. Bake until set, mine took about 30 minutes.

Dark Chocolate Ganache
Martha Stewart

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped

In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt to a boil. Remove from heat; add 1 pound bittersweet chocolate and let stand, without stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk just until combined. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until spreadable, about 1 hour. Top cooled brownies with ganache.