SUNKEN PUNKIN BITES
NOT QUITE A BLONDIE, NOT QUITE A CAKE. THESE chewy PUMPKIN BITES HAVE DOLLOPS OF SALTED CARAMEL pockets.
SKILL LEVEL: BEGINNER | QUANTITY: 16 bites
LISTS
GROCERY LIST:
2 sticks | Unsalted Butter
3 large | Eggs
¼ cup | Heavy Whipping Cream
¼ cup | Light Brown Sugar (packed)
1 ¾ cups | Granulated Sugar
1 cup | All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon | Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon | Sea Salt Flakes
Brand recommendation - Maldon Sea Salt Flakes
½ teaspoon | Ground Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon | Ground Nutmeg
¼ teaspoon | Ground Cloves
1 teaspoon | Vanilla Extract
½ cup | Pumpkin Purée
Brand recommendation - Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin Purée
1 large | Lemon
KITCHENWARE:
8x8-inch Baking Dish
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer w/ Large Mixing Bowl
Heat-resistant Bowl or Liquid Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoons & Cups, Sieve (fine mesh strainer) & Rubber Spatula
PREP
Helpful tips!
Let butter and eggs come to room temperature by leaving out for about 1 hour*.
When measuring flour, don’t pack the flour or you will end up adding more into the mixture and risk having drier bites. Instead, use a large spoon to scoop into measuring cups and level off with the handle of the spoon.
Don’t get discouraged if the caramel doesn’t come together the first time. I’ve ruined my fair share of caramel sauces in the past. It’s important to be patient and really wait until it looks like a dark amber color but it can truly go from perfect to burnt in less than 5 seconds.
*Dependent on the temperature of your home
BAKE
SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE:
¾ cup | Granulated Sugar
1 tablespoon | Fresh Lemon Juice
¼ cup | Water
¼ cup | Heavy Whipping Cream
2 tablespoons | Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon | Sea Salt Flakes
BITES:
½ cup | Pumpkin Purée
½ teaspoon | Ground Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon | Ground Nutmeg
¼ teaspoon | Ground Cloves
1 ¾ sticks | Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
¼ cup | Light Brown Sugar (packed)
1 cup | Granulated Sugar
3 large | Eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon | Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon | Kosher Salt
1 cup | All-purpose Flour
Whisk sugar, lemon juice and water in a medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. You can occasionally stir or use a heat resistant food brush to ensure sugar around the edge doesn’t burn. Once mixture reaches a dark amber, remove from heat, about 10-15 minutes. Watch this part closely as it can burn in a second. This depends on your burner temperature and on cooler days it’s sometimes taken me closer to 18 minutes.
Immediately add cream and butter, whisking until completely incorporated and caramel is glossy. Add sea salt flakes, combine and let cool at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350° F and place rack in the center of the oven.
Cut an 8x12-inch parchment paper rectangle and place inside baking dish so that two sides of the baking dish have parchment paper with an overhang. This will ensure an easy release! Set aside.
Combine pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a heat resistant bowl or liquid measuring cup. Set aside.
Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Mix frequently, making sure not to brown or boil butter. Once melted, pour hot butter over pumpkin and spice mixture and mix together with fork until combined. The moisture from the pumpkin will cause some separation which is fine. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, combine sugars, eggs, vanilla extract and salt in a large bowl on medium speed until very thick, about 5 minutes. With mixer going, slowly stream in the cooled, pumpkin butter mixture until smooth. Sift flour over mixture and gently fold in with a rubber spatula until combined. Pour batter into prepared baking dish, spreading evenly with rubber spatula, making sure to get the batter in the corners.
Bake bites for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and using a spoon, dollop caramel sauce over batter. The spots don’t need to be even in spacing or size, just ensure there are spots all over the batter. Use a toothpick or knife to swirl the caramel sauce creating a paisley-inspired pattern. Return to oven for an additional 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in the baking dish for at least 30 minutes before serving. Run butter knife along two edges of pan where bites are not up against parchment paper. Carefully lift parchment paper up to remove bites.
Store leftovers in wrapped plastic or airtight container at room temperature.
