What could possibly go wrong if melted butter would meet up with dark brown sugar and some vanilla …
…and then if they hooked up with a couple of eggs and a bit of flour for the sake of Chemistry??
Absolutely Nothing!
A match made in Heaven!
Blondies are the epitome of satisfaction for a lover of butterscotch and caramel (especially if you top it off with a brown sugar frosting…a.k.a. Penuche Frosting). For a chocolate-lover, Brownies are a satisfying indulgence. But if you are a lover of butterscotch and caramel, Blondies hit the sweet spot every time.
Rich … Chewy …Flavourful
Tips for making great Blondies:
- 3 essential ingredients – Butter, Dark Brown Sugar (Demerera is the sugar of choice), and Vanilla (lots!) are necessities.
- Just like brownies, the rules of creating perfect Blondies are the broken rules of cake-making … use melted butter; no concerns about delicate handling; no leavenings to add.
- Don’t over-bake … you want a moist, dense, and chewy texture.
Blondies taste great right out of the pan …
or top them with some frosting … and some candied pecans.
Blondies
Prep Time: 15 minutes Baking Time: 25-30 minutes
Yield: 16 squares
Ingredients:
115 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
315 g (1 1/2 cup hard-packed) dark brown sugar
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon (15 mL) pure vanilla extract
170 g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped toasted pecans
Frosting (recipe follows)
Garnish: Candied Pecans (recipe follows)
Method:
1. Prepare a 9 x 9 baking pan by lining it with some parchment paper. Lightly spray paper with a cooking spray.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low-medium heat. When melted, add brown sugar. Stir to fully incorporate, and heat until just starting to bubble. Remove from heat and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
3. While mixture is cooling, preheat oven to 3250F (1650C).
4. When mixture has cooled, add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to the butter-sugar mixture. Stir well, ensuring the ingredients are well incorporated.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Add to the butter-sugar-egg mixture; Stir well. Stir in chopped pecans.
6. Pour into the prepared pan; Bake for 25-30 minutes.
7. Cool completely before frosting. Garnish with Candied Pecans if you wish.
Frosting
1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (125 mL) hard-packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons (45 mL) heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon (1.5 mL) salt
2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 – 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add sugar and stir until mixture comes to a ‘low bubble’. Cook for 2 minutes. Gradually add the cream and salt and stir until the mixture comes back to a boil. Remove from heat and cool completely. When cool, stir in vanilla. Gradually beat in enough confectioner’s sugar until thick and of spreading consistency (start with 1 cup and gradually add more as needed). Spread over cooled Blondies and sprinkle with some Candied Pecans.
Candied Pecans
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter, 1/2 cup of chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Heat and stir constantly as the sugar starts to melt. …about 5 minutes. Watch carefully as it can easily burn. Remove from heat; place on a piece of parchment paper and separate the pieces before they start to cool. Let cool completely and give it a rough chop, and sprinkle over top.
Questions and comments are always welcome alex@chilipeppersandpears.com
