Brown-Butter Toffee Blondies
/I was hosting a CAbi clothing party this past week on the same day that Serena needed to take some goodies to school for a class event. Yes, I could have made my life simpler by buying some pastry, but ever since the birth of FabuLesley, I have been much more industrious in the kitchen. A little while ago, I purchased Martha Stewart’s “Cookie” recipe book, and have been waiting for the right moment to open it and bake away. Due to the late hour of 8:30, I refused to make anything that required a trip to the grocery store. The recipe calls for toffee bits, which I fortuitously had placed in my freezer a month ago after an ice cream sundae extravaganza …who knew?
The recipe calls for browning the butter, which gives it a real nutty taste and smell. I have never attempted it before, but I am pleased to report that it was super easy! When I removed the brownies from the oven, Jeff appeared in the kitchen, lured there by the incredible aroma. He took one look at them, and exited just as quickly as he appeared, not wanting to expand his waistline that night.
The women, who tasted the bite sized portions I cut, raved about the brownies just as much as they raved about the fabulous CAbi Spring 2014 line!
When Serena arrived home from school that afternoon, she announced that everyone LOVED the brownies, and they were a huge hit. Don’t take my word for it, go buy those toffee bits and try these treats for yourself.
Brown butter is simply butter that has been cooked until it takes on a delicious, subtle nutty flavor and aroma—which explains its French name, beurre noisette, or “hazelnut butter.” Be sure to keep an eye on it as it cooks, to avoid burning.
1 ¼ cups (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 cups packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts (about 4 ounces)
1 cup toffee bits
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment; butter and flour parchment.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter until it turns golden brown; remove from heat, and let cool. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine browned butter and both sugars; stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Attach bowl to mixer; add eggs. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, and beat to combine. Add the flour mixture, walnuts, and toffee bits. Mix until thoroughly combined, and pour into prepared pan.
- Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes (do not overbake). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before turning out of pan onto a cutting board.
