Brown Butter and Espresso Blondies: A Recipe for Coffee Lovers
The US publication Real Simple has shared a blondie recipe combining browned butter, espresso powder and dark chocolate. The dessert needs about 25 minutes of baking and two hours of cooling.
Blondies are the lighter cousin of brownies: soft, chewy squares with slightly crisp edges. A version made with espresso powder, dark chocolate and browned butter has been published by Real Simple. The browned butter gives the dessert a nutty, caramel-like flavour. The preparation is not complicated, but time must be allowed for the blondies to cool completely after baking.
Ingredients (makes 16 pieces)
- 170 g unsalted butter
- 215 g dark brown sugar
- 50 g white sugar
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg and 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 180 g plain wheat flour
- 115 g chopped dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa)
- a little oil or butter for greasing the pan
- optional: flaky sea salt
Method
Heat the oven to 175 °C. Grease a square baking pan of about 20 × 20 cm and line it with baking paper, leaving some overhang so the dessert can be lifted out easily later.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and keep heating it for 6–8 minutes, stirring regularly, until it foams and the milk solids at the bottom turn golden brown. Do not let it burn. Remove the pan from the heat and let the butter cool slightly.
Stir the two sugars, espresso powder and vanilla extract into the butter. Add the egg and the yolk one at a time, mixing well after each. Then add the salt, baking powder and flour, stirring only until a thick, glossy batter forms. Finally, fold in the chocolate.
Spread the batter evenly in the pan and bake for about 25 minutes. The top should be golden brown, shiny and slightly cracked in places. A wooden skewer inserted in the centre should come out with a few moist crumbs rather than completely clean. Do not overbake: the slightly moist centre keeps the chewy texture typical of blondies.
Cooling and storage
Let the blondies cool in the pan for about two hours, then lift them out and cut into 16 squares. Before serving, they can be sprinkled with sea salt flakes. In an airtight container at room temperature they keep for up to four days, or up to two months in the freezer. For a sweeter taste, milk chocolate can replace the dark chocolate.
