Servings: 24 squares
Calories: 297kcal
Equipment
- 13x9 baking pan
- Scale
Ingredients
Blondie base
- 200 g unsalted butter 160g completed browned butter
- 200 g light brown sugar
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 250 g pumpkin puree
- 3/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 280 g all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
Salted caramel layer
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp light corn syrup
- 3 tbsp water
- 180 g heavy cream warmed
- 120 g sweetened condensed milk
- 90 g unsalted butter
- 3/4 tsp fine seas salt
- 3/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
Pepita top
- 120 g raw pepitas
- flakey salt for finishing
Instructions
Prep pan and seeds
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a nine by thirteen inch metal pan with parchment with overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the parchment.
- Toast pepitas on a sheet pan for 6 to 8 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to color. Toss with a pinch of fine salt while warm. Cool completely.
Brown the butter
- Cook 200 g butter over medium heat, stirring, until the milk solids turn deep golden and it smells nutty. Immediately scrape into a bowl. Cool to warm and weigh to confirm 160 g. If short by a few grams, top up with refined avocado oil to reach 160 g.
Mix the blondie
- Whisk the browned butter with light brown sugar and granulated sugar until glossy and cohesive.
- Whisk in eggs and the extra yolk until thick and shiny.
- Whisk in pumpkin puree and vanilla paste until smooth.
- In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, cinnamon, and ginger.
- Fold the dry mixture into the wet with a spatula just until no dry pockets remain. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
Par bake the base
- Bake 16 to 20 minutes until the edges are just set and the center is still soft. The base should be slightly underbaked so it bonds to the caramel. Cool on a rack 20 to 30 minutes until just warm to the touch.
Cook the firm salted caramel
- In a medium heavy saucepan combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir only to moisten, then cook over medium heat without stirring until the syrup turns a deep amber.
- Off heat carefully whisk in warm heavy cream then whisk in sweetened condensed milk. Return to medium low and cook, stirring often, to 118°C to 120°C 244°F to 248°F.
- Off heat whisk in butter, fine sea salt, and vanilla paste if using until glossy. Let the caramel cool to about 50°C 122°F or to a thick but pourable state so it does not soak into the blondie.
Layer and set
- Pour the warm caramel over the blondie base and spread level to the corners.
- Immediately scatter the toasted pepitas evenly over the surface and press lightly so they adhere.
- Cool at room temperature 30 minutes, then chill 60 to 90 minutes until the caramel is fully set and sliceable.
Finish and slice
- If you like, dust the top lightly with flaky salt. Lift out using the parchment and cut into clean bars with a hot knife, wiping between cuts.
Notes
- Browned butter target: You want 160g browned butter in the batter. Browning 200g typically yields about 160 g. Always weigh after browning. If a little short, top up with refined avocado oil to reach 160g.
- Pumpkin moisture: If your puree seems loose, blot briefly with paper towels. Too much water can make the bars dense.
- Caramel set: The condensed milk plus the higher final temperature delivers a firm fudge style caramel that slices cleanly without white chocolate.
- Bond the layers: Par bake the blondie and pour the caramel while both are warm so they fuse and do not separate.
- Storage: Bars keep covered in the fridge for four to five days. For best texture, let slices stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
- Make ahead: The caramel can be cooked a day ahead. Rewarm gently to a thick pour before layering.
- Tiny health swap ideas: Replace ten to fifteen percent of the browned butter with refined avocado oil after you weigh the browned butter. Swap up to twenty percent of the flour for white whole wheat to add minerals without drying. If desired, reduce blondie granulated sugar by ten percent. Do not change the caramel sugar ratio or cook temp.
Nutrition
Serving: 85g | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 231mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 2081IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg
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