Chocolate pumpkin brownies with caramelised apples and pears

Buzz factor: Eating more dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure. But make sure you balance the extra calories by eating less of other things or going for a long walk after dinner.

Bonus points: In its raw state, pumpkin is an extremely good source of vitamins A and C, essential for maintaining good eyesight and a healthy immune system.

Ingredients:

For the brownies:
200g pumpkin flesh
100g chopped butter
100g roughly chopped plain chocolate
3 eggs
250g light soft brown sugar
3 drops vanilla extract
175g self-raising flour
15g cocoa powder
Creme fraiche to serve

For the caramelised apples and pears:

• 2 apples
• 2 ripe pears
• 45g light soft brown sugar
• 45g light soft brown sugar
• 30g finely chopped butter

How to:

• Preheat oven to 1800C and line base of a greased 18cm x 301/2cm (7 x 12") tin
• Remove top from pumpkin and scrape out seeds. Scoop flesh from pumpkin shell and put approximately 200g into a saucepan with a little water and boil rapidly, stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes until soft. Puree with a blender or food processor
• Put butter and chocolate in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, stir occasionally until melted, remove from saucepan
• Crack eggs into a large bowl, add sugar, whisk until thick and fluffy so mixture coats the back of a spoon
• Stir melted chocolate into egg mixture, sieve flour and cocoa into mixture, gently fold everything together then fold in pumpkin puree
• Pour into prepared tin. Bake for 20-22 minutes until a crust has formed over the top (the mixture should be soft but not wobbly in the middle)
• Meanwhile, cut apples and pears into quarters, remove cores, scatter in an ovenproof dish then dot with butter, sprinkle over sugar and bake alongside brownies for 10-15 minutes until sticky and light golden
• Once brownies are cool, cut into bars and serve alongside the caramelised apples and pears with a dollop of creme fraiche

Serves approx 16 slices

Recipe courtesy of Amanda Grant