Bedazzled Butternut Squash Bars

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Cut the butternut squash in half (stem to stem) and place them in a baking dish cut side up. Add a tablespoon of butter into the center of each half. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of brown sugar over each half. Sprinkle ¼ tablespoon cinnamon over each half.

Roast the squash in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until fork tender, then remove from the oven and let cool.

Meanwhile make the base for the bars. Mix the flour, pumpkin-pie spice, soda, and salt into a sifter and set the sifter aside.

Cream butter with granulated sugar until fluffy in a large bowl; beat honey and egg into the mixture. Add the 2 teaspoons of water and mix. Sift in the dry ingredients, a third at a time, alternating with the pecan pieces, blending well to make a thick batter.

Spread into a greased 9x9x2 baking pan.

To create the puree take the roasted butternut squash and remove the skin and place the flesh into a food processor. Add the 5 Tablespoons of whipping cream, 4 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and pulse to combine. Set aside.

Bake the bar base in a 350F oven for 25 minutes, or until top is firm; remove the bars from the oven and spread butternut squash puree over bar base and continue to cook 10 more minutes and then switch the oven to broil for 5 additional minutes to create a brown crust on the surface of the bars.

Then remove it from the oven and cool on a wire rack. After fully cooled cut into bars and dust with powdered sugar.