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In the Oven: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf

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Our first recipe out of New Frontiers is a pumpkin loaf, to usher in the Fall for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere! Posting date is September 24.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf
 
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Yield: 2 (9x5x3") loaves
Ingredients
  • 3 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 3⁄4 cups (one 15-ounce can) pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1⁄2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans, dust them with flour, and knock out the excess flour.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In another large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and oil until combined. Add the sugar and whisk again. Whisk the eggs into the mixture, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Add 2\3 cup room-temperature water and whisk until combined. With a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.
  4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Do not overmix.
  5. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Gently knock the bottom of the pans against the countertop to even out the batter. Use the spatula to smooth the tops.
  6. Bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time.
  7. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes. Invert the loaves onto wire racks and cool completely before serving.
Notes
How to store: The loaves will keep for 3 days, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

 

In the Oven: Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Chocolate Brownies

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It’s officially Fall (at least, it is in the Northern Hemisphere), so we’re going to pumpkin-ize some brownies next. Posting date is October 9!

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Chocolate Brownies
 
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Yield: 24 brownies
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl
  • 1 (8-ounce/226-g) package cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (75 g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (170 g) solid pack pumpkin or pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
For the Brownie Layer
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (105 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 ounces (225 g) dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • 6 ounces (1½ sticks/170 g) unsalted butter, cut into
  • 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes, plus more for the pan
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (85 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy (it should almost look like frosting). Add the pumpkin, egg yolk, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger and whisk again until well blended. Cover and refrigerate while you make the brownie layer.
Make the Brownie Layer
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light-colored metal 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper with a 1-inch (2.5-cm) overhang on the long sides of the pan, and butter the parchment.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt.
  3. Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water (double-boiler method, see page 19), stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted, smooth, and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add both sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be at room temperature. Add 2 eggs to the chocolate mixture and gently whisk until just combined. Add the remaining egg and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and whisk until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
  4. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula, fold them gently together until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
  5. Pour two-thirds of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Pour the pumpkin cheesecake mixture over the brownies and smooth into an even layer with the back of an offset spatula. Drop the remaining one-third of the brownie batter by heaping tablespoons here and there over the pumpkin layer. Use a knife to gently pull through the batters to create a swirl. (The brownie batter is thick, so you might need to pull several times before you start to create the swirl.)
  6. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it, 30 to 40 minutes. Let the brownies cool almost completely.
  7. You can eat the brownies slightly warm or at room temperature, when they have a more pumpkin-y flavor. Or cover and refrigerate them for about 3 hours and enjoy them slightly chilled (this is our favorite). Either way, when you’re ready, release the brownies from the side of the pan with a small paring knife. Pull straight up on the parchment to remove them from the pan, place them on a cutting board, cut, and serve.
Notes
How to store: the brownies will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

 

In the Oven: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

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Posting date for these cinnamon rolls is Oct. 19!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

For the dough
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 teaspoons instant dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
3 ounces (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg
2/3 cup pumpkin puree

For the filling
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ounce (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the assembly
1 ounce (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the Cream Cheese Frosting
2 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup buttermilk, well shaken
1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Make the dough
Butter one 10-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust the parchment with flour and knock out the excess flour.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugars, yeast, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom on medium speed. Add the butter and mix until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the milk and egg and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add the pumpkin puree and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. The dough will look light orange in color and feel soft and sticky.

Remove the dough from the bowl, carefully form into a large ball, smooth the top with your hands, and place in a clean, lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. While the dough is resting, make the filling.

Make the filling
Stir together the sugars, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until combined.

Assemble the rolls
Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a large rectangle approximately 23 by 10 inches, brush the dough with melted butter, and sprinkle the filling over the butter, leaving a 1/4 inch border around the edges. Use the palms of your hands to press the filling lightly into the dough.

Roll up the long side of the rectangle to form a tight log and place seam side down. Slice the log into ten 2-inch rolls. Place one roll in the center of the cake pan, then fill in the rest of the pan with the other rolls. Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside until the rolls have almost doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position the rack in the center.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops of the rolls are browned. In order to pour your icing over still warm rolls for the best effect, prep all of the frosting ingredients while the rolls are baking and quickly put together the frosting (this will only take about 5 minutes) immediately after the rolls come out of the oven.

Make the frosting
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and buttermilk on medium speed until the mixture is lump free. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on medium-low speed until a smooth, fluid mixture forms.

Serve the rolls
Invert the pan of rolls onto a serving plate or you can leave in the pan for a rustic look. Pour the frosting over the still warm rolls. It’s okay if a little bit of the frosting drips down the sides—it’s even encouraged. (Alternatively, use an offset spatula to apply the icing.) Serve immediately.