Browned Butter Caramel Blondies
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (scant)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup Kraft caramel bits
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg, plus 2 yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup diced pecans, toasted*
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 8x8-inch square baking dish with foil, and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until light golden brown and fragrant. (Mine probably took around 8 minutes)
Stir in caramel bits until melted.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat sugars, eggs, and vanilla, for 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in melted butter-caramel mixture, gradually, and beat an additional 1 minute. Add flour and mix until just combined. Stir in toasted pecans and white chocolate chips.
Scrape batter into prepared pan, evenly, and smooth the surface.
Bake at 375 degrees F, for 30-32 minutes, until golden brown in color, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Plunge dish in a larger dish filled with ice water for 30 minutes. When dish is cooled off, chill in freezer or refrigerator for easier slicing.
*I toasted my pecans in the microwave
Yield: 12 blondies
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (scant)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup Kraft caramel bits
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg, plus 2 yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup diced pecans, toasted*
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 8x8-inch square baking dish with foil, and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until light golden brown and fragrant. (Mine probably took around 8 minutes)
Stir in caramel bits until melted.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat sugars, eggs, and vanilla, for 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in melted butter-caramel mixture, gradually, and beat an additional 1 minute. Add flour and mix until just combined. Stir in toasted pecans and white chocolate chips.
Scrape batter into prepared pan, evenly, and smooth the surface.
Bake at 375 degrees F, for 30-32 minutes, until golden brown in color, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Plunge dish in a larger dish filled with ice water for 30 minutes. When dish is cooled off, chill in freezer or refrigerator for easier slicing.
*I toasted my pecans in the microwave
Yield: 12 blondies
These look and sound delicious!! I don't think I've ever seen the caramel bits, but I need to check and see if I could find them, because I want some now!!
ReplyDeleteSee, now how & why did you know and choose to beat the eggs for so long. I made a chocolate fudge cake yesterday and they made me beat the butter and sugar for 3 minutes of medium-high (after adding the sugar 1/4 cup at a time) and I have no idea why. Maybe I should bake the cake again without doing it, just cream the butter and sugar as normal, and see what kind of difference it makes.
ReplyDeleteDeborah- I think Joe at Culinary in the Country/Desert has made something with these caramel bits, and Anna at Cookie Madness made a couple items.
ReplyDeleteAmy- I'm not a scientist or anthing, but I know that beating the eggs is what makes that crackled crust.
I think creaming the butter for that long helps the cake rise more. It also helps to dissolve the sugar, for a better texture.
Try beating the eggs a lot, next time you make brownies.
Those look so freaking good! YUM!
ReplyDeleteYUM! I have to admit, I've never worked with browned butter. I'm always afraid I'll burn it. But, you were kind enough to give me a time frame.
ReplyDeleteAnd for the running around thing. I tend to get more done in 10 minutes than if I had a whole hour. Why??
Love,
Julie
I am sooooooooooooo making these, but please can I just use 2 eggs, instead of bothering with 1 egg and 2 yolks? And are you trying to confuse me by saying 8 tbls. of butter instead of 1 stick or 4 oz or 1/2 cup? Aren't I a horrid pain? Oh, one other teeny weeny thing...(I'm just preparing you for writing your first cookbook)...What's a DICED pecan?
ReplyDeleteLove, Me
Y'know I love ya, kid...
Jenn- Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJulie- Just don't crank up the heat too much, and you'll be fine. Mine seemed to take forever, but once it starts to brown, it goes fast.
I guess pressure makes us get stuff done fast.
SUE- GEEZ! You're so hard on me sometimes! I know, I know. It's good for me.
Here's my reasoning behind these things you pointed out:
I said 8 tablespoons, because I wanted the stick of butter to be cut up, so it would melt faster and more evenly.
I didn't want to say coarsely chopped or finely chopped pecans, because they were in between. I couldn't just say chopped, so I said diced. I guess that's wrong?
On the package of pecans, don't they say diced?
As for the eggs. Ughhh, well, I had 2 yolks I needed to use. I figured using the extra yolk would make these richer.
Emm..I'm going to fly over there and steal those from you while you are at work. It's not me if it's all gone when you get home. :-)
ReplyDeleteI need to find those caramel bits. I've never seen them before, but this recipe sounds amazing, particularly the browned butter.
ReplyDeleteI am drooling right now. No seriously, I really am. If I lived near you I would gain an instant 20 pounds because I would be at your door everytime you posted a picture like this!
ReplyDeleteVal- If these go missing, I know where to find them.
ReplyDeleteMallow! Thanks. The bits are ok, but I don't know if I'd buy them again.
Annie- I wish you did! Then I would have someone to give stuff to. Things just sit around here, and then I throw them away.
You make all good points. I'm still using 2 eggs, though.
ReplyDelete