Pumpkin and Cocoa Graham Bars

45 mins Prep Time

1 hours 43 mins Cook Time

Written By

Robin Winship

Halloween is officially upon us and with limited options on what to do this eve, baking seems like the evident choice for entertainment. Make these Halloween-inspired pumpkin spice bars to get into the spirit and don't worry if you can find black cocoa powder or food colouring, improvise with regular cocoa powder and mixing primary dye.

Ingredients

Cocoa Graham Cracker Crust

20 full-sheet (300 grams) graham crackers
10 tablespoons (144 grams) unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder or black cocoa powder
Black food colouring or a mix of primary colours

Pumpkin Spice Filling

1 796 mL pure pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 salt

Ghost Meringues

4 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Black decorating icing gel

Directions

Ghost Meringues

7 Steps

Step 1

Mix your egg whites in a large (clean) bowl making sure no yolks have gotten into the mixture. Mix with a handheld mixer or in a stand mixer on high until eggs become very frothy (3 minutes).
Step 2

While you continue to mix, slowly add the sugar in increments. Then add your cream of tartar.
Step 3

Mix on high until hard peaks form, when you lift the beaters up out of the bowl, the mixture should stand straight up.
Step 4

With a spatula, add meringue mixture to a piping bag fitted with a tip (or a ziplock bag with one of the corners cut off). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking oil.
Step 5

Turn oven down to 225 ̊F.
Step 6

Pipe meringues onto the sheet, starting directly on the foil and working in small up and down motions. Keep them spaced apart.
Step 7

Bake for 45 minutes, until hardened, Remove from oven, cool and decorate ghost faces with black decorating gel.

Cocoa Graham Cracker Crust

5 Steps

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 ̊F.
Step 2

In a food processor, pulse graham crackers, sugar, melted butter and cocoa powder. Add black food colouring until desired shade achieved.
Step 3

Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish and line with parchment paper so there is overhang on the longer sides of the dish.
Step 4

Pour graham crackers crumbs into the baking dish and pat down until an even layer is spread out over the bottom of the dish.
Step 5

Pre-bake your crust in the oven for 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Spice Filling

3 Steps

Step 1

Mix together all ingredients in a medium bowl with a handheld mixer or mix in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Step 2

Pour filling into your pre-baked crust and shake on the counter to even. Place in oven and cook for 45-50 minutes. The filling should still wiggle when you remove from the oven.
Step 3

Cool for an hour before removing bars from baking dish. Cool for an hour on the counter and an additional two hours in the fridge.