So we’re into November…WHAT THE HELL. We’ve celebrated Halloween, next up it’s Bonfire Night – and it’s still all about pumpkins, obviously. Which is why this recipe, created especially for Graham’s Family Dairy using their Organic Whole Milk for extra creaminess, is ideal to make as an autumn/winter treat.
A rich brownie base topped with a deliciously creamy spiced pumpkin ‘cheesecake’ layer is everything you could want from an indulgent but healthy dessert. So get baking, wrap up warm and serve these outside while watching the fireworks!
Ingredients:
For the brownie base –
- ½ cup oat flour (I whizzed up gluten-free Quaker oats to form a flour)
- ½ cup ground almonds or almond flour (I used Sukrin)
- 4 tablespoons cacao powder (I used Superroots)
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar (I used The Coconut Company)
- 2 teaspoons maca powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200ml Graham’s Family Dairy Organic Whole Milk
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (I used Lucy Bee)
For the pumpkin cheesecake topping –
- 1 cup cooked pumpkin cubes
- 2 tablespoons date nectar or maple syrup (I used Beloved)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon each of ground ginger and mixed spice
- 1 egg
- 4 tablespoons Graham’s Family Dairy Organic Whole Milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or salted caramel extract (I used Foodie Flavours)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon cornflour or vanilla/salted caramel whey protein powder (I used PhD Nutrition)
To decorate: Melted dark chocolate and chopped roasted hazelnuts
Get baking!
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and grease and line a rectangular brownie tin.
- First make the brownie mixture: Mix together the flour, ground almonds, cacao powder, coconut sugar, baking powder and maca powder (if using) in a large bowl.
- Now whisk together the eggs with the vanilla and milk.
- Pour this into the dry ingredients along with the slightly cooled melted coconut oil and fold in to form a smooth chocolate batter.
- Spoon this into your prepared tin and smooth out evenly. Bake for 10 minutes to allow the mixture to firm up slightly.
- Meanwhile make the pumpkin cheesecake topping: Place the cooked pumpkin in a blender along with the date nectar or maple syrup, spices, egg, milk, extract, salt and cornflour or protein powder. Blend until smooth and quite thick.
- Remove the tin from the oven and evenly pour over the pumpkin mixture to cover. Return to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes, until firm on top.
- Leave to cool completely then cut into 12 and store in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, drizzle over melted dark chocolate and sprinkle over hazelnuts for the finishing touch!
Check out my other recipes for Graham’s The Family Dairy over here 🙂