BLONDIES

CHEWY CHUNKY BLONDIES

Here's a shocking development for you folks....I made yet ANOTHER recipe from Dorie Greenspan's book, "Baking: From My Home To Yours". If this blog and it's respective detailed pictures do not heavily encourage you to buy this book then I really don't know what will.  Let me reiterate, BUY THIS BOOK! OK, enough of a sales pitch outta me. Oddly enough this is my first batch of blondies, ever. I've baked several different types of chocolate brownies, but never blondies; which is why this recipe caught my eye. As I skimmed the ingredients portion of this page, my eyes immediately locked in on heath bar bits. It was that moment that I decided to make these; love at first sight. 

These blondies were loaded; coconut, heath bar, chocolate chunks, and walnuts. I loved the addition of the coconut as it really gave these squares a sticky consistency while also having the crunch from the heath bar, chocolate chunks, and walnuts. I will definitely be making these again; perhaps interchanging white chocolate chunks and/or Butterfingers. You can also substitute the walnuts for a different kind of nut that suits your palette. The brown sugar and heath bar combination are so tasty. When I took these out of the 9X13 inch pan and before cutting them up into squares, I went around the entire perimeter with a knife and thinly sliced off the ends. I noshed on these as I finished up and they were the best part! They are very chewy and satisfying. I bagged up the ends and put them in my freezer for a rainy day.

Chewy, Chunky Blondies 
adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips 
1 cup butterscotch chips or Heath toffee bits 
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut 

Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking pan and put it on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add both sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, or until well incorporated. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chips, nuts, and coconut. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and use the spatula to even the top as best as you can.

Bake for about 40 minutes (mine took about 35 minutes), or until a knife inserted into the center of the blondies comes out clean. The blondies should pull away from the sides of the pan a little and the top should be a nice honey brown. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for about 15 minutes before turning the blondies out onto another rack. Invert onto a rack and cool the blondies to room temperature right side up.

Cut into 32 bars, each roughly 2 1/4 x 1 1/2 inches.