This recipe does a few things: first, it will convert you to browning your butter, if you have not already embraced that cooking concept. It will also reinforce the amazingness of your kitchen scale, because the weight of an ingredient is always the same, while a measuring cup can lie depending on humidity, user, etc. The other thing this recipe does is showcase how nuts can be the star of a bar, with chocolate just being a behind-the-scenes sort of character.
Note: I use walnuts and almonds below. Please feel free to use whatever you love and/or have on hand. You can chop a dark chocolate bar (with even more nuts if you want!), or you can use mini chocolate chips, if you'd rather.
This recipe is easy to double. And share. Or not.
Many-nut Blondies
Yield: 8 x 8 pan, cut into 1 - 24 bars
Ingredients
170 grams unsalted butter
100 grams walnuts
55 grams almonds
272 grams all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
55 grams almond butter
125 grams dark brown sugar
25 grams sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup dark chocolate bar, chopped, or mini dark chocolate chips
Directions
Heat the oven to 350ºF. Coat the insides of an 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and line with foil or a sling of parchment paper (for easy clean up and removal).
Melt the butter in a wide non-dark colored skillet over medium heat. When the bubbles are starting to slow but you still aren't seeing any hints of browning, add the walnuts and pecans and cook until the nuts are toasted and the butter smells nutty, 5 to 7 minutes.
While your butter and nuts are toasting, combine the sugars, salt, and almond butter in a large bowl. Place a fine-mesh strainer (large enough to hold all of the nuts, but not touch the bottom of the bowl) over the bowl; set aside. (note: if you put this in your sink, this might help capture any spills when it comes to pouring your hot butter and nuts into the strainer).
In a separate measuring cup, combine the eggs and egg yolk and the vanilla; set aside.
Meanwhile whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl; set aside.
Once your butter is nicely browned and the nuts are fragrant, carefully pour the butter and nuts through the strainer. Let drain and cool for 15 minutes. This is a good time to chop your chocolate bar, if you have not already. Once cool enough to handle, chop the nuts coarsely and set aside.
Whisk the butter-almond butter-sugar mixture until thick and smooth. Add the eggs and yolk a bit at at time, whisking after each addition. Whisk until completely smooth, about 1 minute, then stir in the flour mixture. Finish by folding in the nuts and chocolate chips and transferring to the prepared pan. The batter will be thick. If you want the chocolate to not melt, scoop about 1/3 of the batter into the pan, sprinkle half of the chocolate. Scoop on the rest of the batter and finish with the remaining chocolate.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are deeply brown and the top is dry and cracked, but still a little give in the middle. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a rack for about 30 minutes. Slice into squares and enjoy!