Try this Congo bars recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 1247.47152941535 g
- Cholesterol 7.34999998508802 mg
- Fat 1.62060666338603 g
- Fiber 0.00883333333333333 g
- Protein 7.14429498900588 g
- Saturated Fat 1.00769666462372 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1443g)
- Sodium 439.730166589188 mg
- Sugar 1247.46269608202 g
- Trans Fat 0.0842461664989069 g
- Calories 4881 calories
Step-by-step
- Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add in eggs and vanilla and stir until combined. Mix the baking powder and salt with 1 cup of flour. Pour into the butter mixture and stir in the rest of the flour. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Grease a 12x14 pan (13x9 will work too) and lightly dust with flour. Press dough into pan with flour on your hands. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until lightly browned. Oven temps will vary.
- Test with a tooth pick. The dough should be soft in the center.
- Allow bars to cool and then enjoy with a cold glass of milk!
Baking blondies or Congo bars too long ruins their dense, fudge-like interior. Overbaking turns these traditional sheet-pan confections into dry cake instead of yielding the characteristic chewy bite expected from the classic American bar cookie. Originating as a relative to the brownie, these butter-and-brown-sugar squares rely on high ratios of brown sugar to retain moisture through hygroscopic properties.
Creaming softened butter with brown sugar requires beating until the mixture is pale and slightly aerated, which incorporates tiny air pockets needed for gentle rise alongside two and a quarter teaspoons of baking powder. Operating the oven at a moderate 325 degrees ensures the edges set properly before the center scorches. Checking doneness at twenty-five minutes with a toothpick prevents over-drying.
Modifying this formula for dietary needs involves straightforward swaps. Replacing standard dairy butter with a plant-based stick margarine at a one-to-one ratio maintains the correct fat percentage, while flax eggs substitute for chicken eggs when baking allergen-free batches. Standard semi-sweet chocolate chips can also be exchanged for dairy-free varieties without altering the structural integrity of the dough.
Allowing the baked pan to cool completely on a wire rack permits the starches to set fully before slicing. Storing the cut squares in an airtight container at room temperature preserves moisture for up to four days.
