Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Blondies

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Blondies remind me of the chocolate-chip-cookie pie my mother made when I was a kid. It seemed so innovative at the time. My favorite part was the soft, chewy center reminiscent of my favorite chocolate chip cookies. Over time, I worked out my preferred ratio of white sugar to brown sugar—which in the end became no white sugar at all—to ensure the chewiest blondie. Next was determining what type of chocolate to use. This version uses one that is not too dark but still offers up a distinct flavor. As always, the best quality ingredients ensure the most delicious results.

MAKES one 9 × 13-inch pan (cut into 12, 16, or 24 pieces)

or an 8 × 8 inch pan (cut into 16 pieces for rich, thick, small bites)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup/2 sticks (226g/8oz) unsalted butter, browned and cooled to room temperature

2 cups (270g/9.6oz) all-purpose flour

1¼ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1¾ cups (350g/12.4oz) light brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup (180g/6.3oz) semisweet chocolate chunks or chips

  1. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9 × 13-inch or an 8 × 8-inch pan with nonstick spray or butter, then line it with parchment paper or foil, leaving overhang on the sides (see Lining the Pan).
  2. Before starting to make your blondies, make sure your browned butter has cooled to room temperature.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, melted browned butter, and vanilla. Whisk together until creamy. Add the eggs and mix thoroughly until creamy again. Add the flour mixture and whisk together until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate chunks or chips.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an offset spatula, spread the batter evenly, getting into the corners.
  6. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean: 25 to 28 minutes for the 9 × 13-inch pan; 40 to 45 minutes for the 8 × 8-inch pan. Rotate the pan front to back at least once during baking.
  7. Let the blondies cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack. Remove them from the pan by lifting the sides of parchment or foil. Cut them to your desired size (see here).
  8. Store covered for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the bars, individually wrapped, for up to 1 month.