Pumpkin Squares

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: “Quadrados de Abóbora”

Layer 1

½ cup butter at room temperature

½ cup walnuts/pecans,chopped

1 cup flour

Layer 2

1 cup icing sugar

200g cream cheese at room temperature

1 cup whipped cream*

Layer 3

500ml/2 ½ cups milk

1 vanilla instant pudding mix (be sure it uses 2 ½ cups milk, if not buy accordingly)

4 sheets gelatin

1 ¾ cups pumpkin puree (click here for recipe or check blog archive)

2 tsp pumpkin spice (click here for recipe or check blog archive)

1 cup whipped cream*

* I take a carton of 200ml heavy cream and whip until thick, then measure out as needed for the recipe.

Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC.

Layer 1:

Mix the flour, butter and nuts.

Press into 9x9in/23x23cm pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Layer 2:

Mix the cream cheese, icing sugar and 1 cup of the whipped cream and pour over cooled crust.

Layer 3:

Make vanilla pudding according to instructions. Place a plastic film on top and let cool. Soak gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes. Strain and place in microwave for a few seconds, just until melted. When pudding is cool, add gelatin, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and 1 cup whipped cream and mix well until it becomes smooth. Pour it over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Cut into squares before serving.