Spectacular Spiced Pumpkin Brownie Pies

It's halloween! Yey! Another great excuse to have a party and do some baking! This year I've made something a little bit different... 

These pies have it all: spiced pastry, maple syrupy pumpkin purée and gooey chocolate fudge brownie, all topped with sweet and salty pumpkin seed brittle. As well as being utterly delicious, these little beauties can be prepared up to a week in advance making them ideal for when you're entertaining. Remember, pumpkins aren't just for halloween - make these as many times as you like this winter!

Spectacular Spiced Pumpkin Brownie Pies
Makes 12

For the spiced crust:
175g soft salted butter 
75g unrefined golden caster sugar 
2 egg yolks 
25ml water, at room temperature 
300g plain flour 
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 
½ tsp ground cinnamon 
½ tsp ground mace 
For the pumpkin purée:
250g fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes 
25ml maple syrup 
For the fudge brownie filling: 
50g butter 
40g golden syrup 
125g golden caster sugar 
140g dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa chocolate 
2 eggs 
35g plain flour 
To serve:
Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Preheat the oven to 170C/gas mark 3. For the purée, place the pumpkin on a baking tray, cover with foil and roast for 30 minutes until very soft. Blend the soft pumpkin with the maple syrup, then tip into a saucepan and cook until it reduces, around 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the pastry. Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth, then add the yolks and beat well, then add the water mixing well. Add the spices and then the flour in 3 additions taking care not to over mix as this will make the sweet pastry tough. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.  

For the brownie filling, melt the butter, syrup and sugar in a saucepan until smooth. Take off the heat and add the chocolate in pieces, mixing well until very smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well, followed by the flour. 

Once the pastry is chilled, roll it out on a floured surface and cut into discs to line all 12 cavities in a muffin tin. Make sure to either spray the tin with cooking spray or lightly grease it with butter. Once you've placed the discs of pastry into the tin, place a teaspoon of the purée into the bottom of each pastry case, then top with the brownie mix, covering the purée completely. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden-brown and set. Allow the pies to cool in the tins then turn out. 

Decorate the pies with the pumpkin seed brittle and enjoy the pies within one week, but keep the pumpkin seed brittle in an airtight container until needed.

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