When you are trying to up your game at baking and start exploring this world more (thanks to the internet), you realise there’s a lot you haven’t even heard about yet! Blondies were one such baked treat that I read about only recently. Blondies are basically blond brownies – without the dark colour from cocoa powder and chocolate. Their texture is a bit like a brownie, bit like a cookie, bit cake. Also, the recipe is super adaptable – keep it simple, or add some nuts, or add chocolate chips or just caramel. I love such recipes, gives me a lot of room to play 🙂
In this version, I’ve added white chocolate chips, chopped toasted almonds, crushed butterscotch kernels, and drizzled some salted caramel sauce on top (just because I had all of these in my fridge :D) Most recipes on internet use eggs, and I adapted my eggless vanilla sponge recipe for this one.
Bet you can’t just eat one 🙂
Ingredients –
All Purpose Flour (Maida) – 120 grams
Cornflour – 2.5 tbsp / about 25 grams
Butter – 1/4 cup or 56 grams
Light Brown sugar – 1 tbsp
Condensed milk – 150 ml (half a tin of 400 grams)
Baking Powder – 1 tsp
Baking Soda – ½ tsp
Salt – a pinch
Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp
Milk – 1/2 cup
Vinegar – 1tbsp (I used apple cider)
White Chocolate chips – 75 grams
Almonds – about 30, toasted and chopped
Butterscotch Kernels – about 3 tbsp, crushed – or use butterscotch chips
Salted Caramel Sauce – 4 tbsp (optional)
Process –
1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celcius. Prepare 8×8 inch square pan with parchment paper and butter the sides. I like to keep little parchment paper hanging over the sides for easy removal later.
2. In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients – flour, cornflour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sift this mixture at least 4-5 times (we want the lighter texture of a cake flour here)
3. In a separate bowl, melt the butter and let it cool slightly. Mix the melted butter and condensed milk till combined, and then add milk, vanilla extract and vinegar. Add the brown sugar and mix.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well until combined and no lumps. Do not overmix.
5. Now you are free to add your additions – half of white chocolate chips, crushed butterscotch kernels/chips, chopped almonds. Mix until just combined. Scatter the remaining chocolate chips on the top. I also drizzled some salted caramel sauce on the top for added flavour.
6. Pour the batter into the pan and bake it for 35-40 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
7. Let it cool completely in the pan, remove and cool on a wire rack. Cut squares only when it’s been cooling for an hour or so, else the blondies will start crumbling.
