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1
Preheat the oven to 400F.
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2
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 1/4 tablespoon cinnamon over each half.
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3
Roast the squash in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until fork tender, then remove from the oven and let cool.
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4
Meanwhile make the base for the bars. Mix the flour, pumpkin-pie spice, soda, and salt into a sifter and set the sifter aside.
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5
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.
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6
Spread into a greased 9x9x2 baking pan.
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7
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.
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8
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.
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9
Then remove it from the oven and cool on a wire rack. After fully cooled cut into bars and dust with powdered sugar.
