Healthy Ginger Pumpkin Chocolate Browines

Yes, you heard that right. Healthy chocolate brownies. What more could a girl want? And what's even better is it uses up the pumpkin from making all those jack-o-lateens so not only is it healthy it also reduces waste. Plus, they're really tasty!



INGREDIENTS 

• 400g pumpkin, peeled and in small chunks 
• 75g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)
• 75g ginger chocolate
• 200g ground almonds
• 50g cocoa powder
• 1 heaped tsp cinnamon
• 1 1\2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 tbsp clear runny honey
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 3 medium eggs

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees & grease tin lightly with vegetable oil 
2. Put the pumpkin into a heatproof bowl and cover with cling film then pop it in the microwave for 8 minutes
3. Remove from microwave, drain the liquid and re cling film the bowl and put it back in the microwave for another three minutes. Then set aside. You'll be amazed at how much water comes out the pumpkin and how much it shrinks! 
4. Whilst the pumpkin's in the microwave, weigh out the cinnamon, ground almonds, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. I kept it in a separate bowl but didn't mix it
5. Break the chocolate into large chunks
6. In another bowl (I recommend quite a big one) whisk up the eggs, honey, maple syrup and vanilla extract till you've got lots of bubbles
7. Once the pumpkins out of the microwave, add the chocolate and mix till it's almost all melted. This doesn't take too long and you get a bowl of chocolate gooeyness! 
8. Once it's all melted, add it to the egg mixture and beat it till it's fully incorporated. 
9. Add the dry almond mixture and mix together. I recommend doing a figure of eight to do this as it mixes everything really well
10. Pour into your baking tin and bake for 35 minutes 

And voila! You've got healthy chocolate brownies. I know they're a bit of a fuss to make but they're well worth the effort. Whilst they're not the best for an evening bake, they're perfect for a Sunday of baking! Let me know in the comments what you think and if you're going to have a go with the insides of your pumpkin.