Oven-baked kabocha squash pieces in maple syrup

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 tbsp. maple syrup
• 4 tbsp (55 g) melted unsalted butter
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
• Coarse salt
• 1 kabocha squash (about 1 kg)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 220°C and line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, chili powder, cayenne pepper and 2 teaspoons salt.
3. Cut the pumpkin in half, trim and discard both ends. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard. Place the pumpkin cut-side down and slice crosswise into 1 cm thick wedges.
4. Toss the pumpkin with the maple syrup mixture until evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, rotating the pumpkin pieces and rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until golden brown and tender, 24–26 minutes. While the pumpkin is still hot, use a metal spatula to loosen the pumpkin pieces from the baking sheet and turn them over to prevent them from sticking.
5. Brush the pumpkin with the remaining maple syrup mixture and transfer to a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.