Brown Butter Blondie and Maple Butter Sauce
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- vanilla bean ice cream
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- brown butter
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- blondie
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temp
- 2-1/4 cup all purpose flour
- butter for coating pan
- all purpose flour for dusting
- 1-1/2 cups pecans coarsely chopped (optional)
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips optional
- 1-3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- maple butter sauce
- 3/4 cup maple syrup i like to use real maple syrup
- 1/2 cup walnuts optional
- Carbohydrate 709.216235639442 g
- Cholesterol 2143.44500093034 mg
- Fat 503.071631573184 g
- Fiber 6.87352687786075 g
- Protein 70.9478653255356 g
- Saturated Fat 287.320091463464 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1712g)
- Sodium 2079.17894121576 mg
- Sugar 702.342708761581 g
- Trans Fat 39.2038754326537 g
- Calories 7479 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until butter foams, then browns, 5–8 minutes.
- Transfer brown butter to a medium bowl; let cool slightly. Add egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until mixture is light and falls back onto itself , about 3 minutes.
- Fold in flour.
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Butter a 13x9” baking dish and dust with flour.
- Whisk baking powder, salt, and 2¼ cups flour in a medium bowl.
- Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat brown sugar and 1 cup butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating between additions; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Mix in vanilla.
- Reduce speed to low and mix in dry ingredients.
- Fold in half of pecans.
- Scrape two-thirds of batter into prepared baking dish; smooth top, pushing batter to edges. Alternating, dollop brown butter mixture and remaining batter on top.
- Smooth and sprinkle remaining pecans.
- Bake until blondie is golden brown and firm 30–35 minutes.
- Let cool before slicing.
- Combine syrup and butter; cook over low heat until melted.
- Stir in brown sugar until dissolved.
- Add walnuts, if desired.
- Slice blondie, pour liberal amount of maple butter sauce and add a scope of vanilla bean ice cream.
The Chemistry of Brown Butter
When butter melts over medium heat, water evaporates. The milk solids then drop to the bottom of the pan and undergo the Maillard reaction. This non-enzymatic browning creates nutty, toasted pyrazines and furans. Whisking this hot fat with sugar and eggs creates an emulsion that traps air. That aeration yields a dense, chewy crumb structure without requiring chemical leaveners in the base mixture.Managing Ingredients Efficiently
Baking requires precision, yet overlaps in pantry staples permit streamlined preparation. Using light brown sugar throughout provides extra moisture through molasses content. This inhibits gluten formation during mixing. Butter is partitioned between the batter and the sauce. Keeping butter at room temperature for the creaming step ensures proper air incorporation when combined with sugar in a large bowl.Storage and Reheating Mechanics
Baking these bars ahead preserves texture when stored properly. Cool the baked pan completely on a wire rack before slicing into squares. Store slices in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Alternatively, freeze individual portions for up to two months. Warm refrigerated squares briefly in a microwave before pouring over warm maple butter sauce.
