Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate-Pepita Swirl

For swirl: In a small dry skillet, toast pepitas over medium, shaking occasionally, until most have popped and turned golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Let cool. In a food processor, combine pepitas, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and the pinch salt. Pulse until mixture forms gritty bits. Stir in chocolate chips.

Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Set oven rack in the center position. Preheat oven to 350°.

For bread: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the ginger, and nutmeg.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium. Cook, stirring and scraping bottom of pan with a silicone spatula, until butter is riddled with golden brown specks, about 8 minutes. (You've just made brown butter.) Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup sugar. Let cool 5 minutes.

Add pumpkin, egg, milk and vanilla to butter mixture, stirring to combine. Stir in flour mixture just until combined. (Don't fret over lumps.)

Scrape half the batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with the swirl mixture. Cover with the remaining batter. Use a chopstick or butter knife to carve a few letter S's through the pan, lightly swirling mixture into batter.

Bake until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Tip bread out of pan and cool completely.