Heath Bar Blondies

My brother told me that the secret ingredients to every delicious recipe is lots of butter and lots of sugar. Well if that's true, and I'm pretty sure it is since my brother rarely lies about anything so important as dessert, then this recipe nailed it. And, yes, it's totally worth going for a run in the middle of winter just so you can indulge in these caramel scented heath bar blondies. Yummers!

 

Heath Bar Blondies [click to print]

Makes about 16-2x2" brownies


1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 c. brown sugar
1-1/4 c. flour
1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
1/2 c. heath bar toffee bits

Line 8x8 pan with parchment paper or coat well with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350.

First you're gonna brown that butter. And don't you dare use margarine or even think about skipping this step! Brown butter gives these blondies a tasty caramel flavor. So, put butter in saucepan and heat on low until it turns a light brown, caramel color. It will bubbly a lot and be noisy for a little bit, then watch carefully because butter can burn very quickly. Once it's browned, pour into mixing bowl and allow to cool about 10 minutes.

Whisk together flour, powder and salt; set aside. Add sugar and beat until combined. It will look kind of like wet sand at this point. Add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating well between each addition. Add flour mixture in two additions, mixing about 20 seconds between each addition.

Stir in nuts and heath bits. Pour into pan and bake 25-30 minutes.

Source: Adapted from my mom's Blonde Brownies

Sweet Sixteen: Chocolate

Ever since I went to Zumba the other day, my mind has been plagued. Is it better to give a little shimmy or bust out the funky legs? Lucky for you, when it comes to chocolate, the decision is simple. Just eat it.

Row 1: World Peace Cookies, Chewy Oatmeal-Spelt Chocolate Chip Bars, Chocolate Cheesecake Cake, Volcano Cookies

Row 2: Chewy Chocolate Oreo Oatmeal Cookies, Rocky Road Dessert, Mexican Chocolate Chewy Cookies, Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Row 3: Chocolate Nutella Thumbprint Cookies, Chocolate Coconut Patties, Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Snowball Cake

Row 4: Chocolate Dumpster Cookies, Universal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Hot Chocolate Cookies, Just a Cake

Sweet Sixteen: Bar Cookies

After so much cookie cuttering, dough ball rolling and batter scooping, I still crave something sweet...but a little less time intensive. Take a look at this week's photo round up and bake a batch. Cut them into small squares for a crowd or cut a big bite for yourself!

Row 1: Snickerdoodle Blondies, Molasses Spice Bars, Coconut Macadamia Nut Bars, Cranberry Lemonade Bars

Row 2: Cookies and Cream Cheesecake, Nutella No Bake, Chocolate Peppermint Sticks, S'mores Brownies

Row 3: Kitchen Sink Cookies and Bars, Chocolate Peppermint Bark, Key Lime Bars, Italian Rainbows

Row 4: Peanut Butter Caramel Shortbread Bars, South African Munchies, M&M Sugar Cookie Bars, Cookie Bar Trees

Ultimate Chocolate Oreo Brownie Doomsday

I don't know how else to make you understand that you may die if you eat these. They are so deadly delicious and rich that the first time I saw a picture of them on Kevin and Amanda's blog, my eyes bugged out of my head and my jaw dropped to the floor. I used to not really like eating chocolate much at all. But oh how things have changed. Obviously.

Feast your eyes on this baby. Aren't these the most ooey gooey, decadently rich brownies you've ever seen? If you decide to whip up a batch, just make sure you have friends to share them with, or a lot of self control. Your arteries will thank you.

In addition to the cookie and brownie batter recipes below, you'll need a package of Double Stuf Oreos. Sounds good already, huh?

Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies   [click to print recipe]
Okay fine, this is actually a recipe for Blonde Brownies, it just seemed like overkill having another kind of brownie as the base for these. I like this recipe especially since it's designed to spread easily in a baking dish. If you ever want to make them as just bar cookies and not deadly brownies, simply double the recipe below for a 15x10 jelly roll pan and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1-1/4 c. flour
1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
6 oz. chocolate chips (about 1/2 bag or 3/4 c.)

Melt butter in saucepan; add brown sugar and blend well. Remove from heat and cool about 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk. Pour butter/sugar mixture and vanilla in mixing bowl. On low speed, add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture in 2-3 additions. Mix well. Add chocolate chips and mix well.

Source: my mom

Rich Chocolate Brownies
These brownies are really thick and fudgy and rich. To make these as just brownies, bake in a 7x11 pan at 325 for 25 minutes. My sister-in-law likes to double the recipe below for a 9x13 pan and use two 12 oz. bags of chocolate chips, one semisweet and one dark chocolate.

3/4 c. butter
11 oz. chocolate chips
3 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. flour

In a double boiler (bowl set over a pot of simmering water) or microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring until well combined. Allow to cool. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla until frothy. Slowly add the chocolate/butter mixture until completely combined. Fold in flour but don't overmix.

Source: Adapted from "Baking" by James Peterson

Assembly of the Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Doomsday
Line 9x9 baking pan (or a bit larger if you prefer thinner brownies) with parchment or wax paper; you really want to do this, it will save you a huge headache when you're ready to cut and eat. Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of the pan. Cover with a single layer of Double Stuf Oreos. Pour brownie batter over Oreos and cookie dough. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until done. When cool, lift brownies from pan by parchment paper and slice into squares. These are great served with ice cream or whipped cream and topped with Vanilla Caramel Sauce!