Squidgy, boozy brownies will go perfectly with a cup of the Whittard of Chelsea Earl Grey tea featured in November's box. And, by adding a splash of the wonderful 58 Gin to these delightful morsels, our resident gin chef Carol has taken elevenses to a whole new level! 

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November already – where has the year gone? November comes in with a blast, just a day after Halloween, then sparkles with Bonfire Night before heralding in December and Christmas. What a month!

I try to be seasonal with my recipes, and this month is no exception, with pumpkins and rich chocolate brownies to compliment the season. However, I have also gone a bit ‘off-piste’ with a boozy raspberry and white chocolate blondie, to marry with the sweeter vanilla scent of 58 Gin.

Both recipes produce the most glorious, sticky, gooey brownies that are as much at home at a bonfire party as at an afternoon tea or as a dessert, with a generous scoop of ice cream.

Duo of 58 brownies

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

For the brownie - 
225g unsalted butter
150g cocoa powder
400g light soft brown sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
140g plain flour
3 medium eggs, beaten

Ingredients

For the pumpkin -
120g full fat cream cheese
115g canned pumpkin puree
1 medium egg
25g caster sugar
3tbsp 58 Gin
1tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp fresh ground nutmeg

Method

1. In a large bowl mix the cream cheese, pumpkin, egg, caster sugar, 58 Gin, vanilla, ginger and nutmeg and beat together.
2. Place the butter and cocoa powder in a saucepan and heat gently until melted together. Off the heat, add the vanilla, flour and beaten eggs. The mix will be quite gloopy at this stage, but this is fine.
3. Carefully pour into an oblong tin (20x30cm) lined with parchment, and spread out. Add the pumpkin mix in blobs over the top of the brownie mix and swirl the two together using the tip of a knife.
4. Bake at 180C, 160C fan or Gas 4 for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out slightly sticky, and leave to cool in the tin before cutting into squares.

For the Boozy Raspberry & White Chocolate Blondies

Method:

1. 24 to 48 hours before baking, put the raspberries into a shallow bowl and pour over the 58 Gin. Cover and leave to seep, turning the berries once or twice.
2. Place 150g of the white chocolate and the butter in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water until melted. Meanwhile, drain the raspberries, reserving the gin and juices.
3. Whisk eggs until frothy, then add sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until thick and foamy. Now whisk in the melted chocolate. Fold in the flour and baking powder, then add the remaining 50g of chocolate, finely chopped.
4. Now pour the mixture into a lined 20 x 30cm tin and scatter the raspberries on top, pushing them gently into the batter. Bake at 180C, 160C fan or Gas 4 for 25-30 minutes until a skewer comes out almost clean. Dust with icing sugar and allow to cool in the tin, then remove and cut into squares.
5. To finish, make a little icing with icing sugar and some of the reserved gin juices. You can add a little raspberry flavouring and/or pink colour if desired. Drizzle the icing over the blondie squares and leave to set. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

150g fresh raspberries
3tbsp 58 Gin
200g white chocolate
200g unsalted butter
3 medium eggs
150g sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
200g plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
Icing sugar
Raspberry flavour and pink food colour (optional)