What did the Blonde say when she walked into a bar

For centuries, blondes have been the brunt of many a joke. Because of this, they have a reputation for being dull. But, today, blondes have the last laugh. It’s national blonde brownie (AKA Blondie) day. And, that’s a delicious treat that we can all get behind. Okay, so, maybe the name blonde brownie proves the point of blonde intelligence (How can it be a brownie if it’s blonde?). That’s why they are commonly referred to as blondies (not to be confused with Debbie Harry, even though she did teach us to eat to the beat). And to answer your question: What did the Blonde say when she walked into a bar? Ouch!

Putting stereotypes, bad jokes, and semantics aside, Blondies, along with their cousins Brownies are all just variations of Cookies. For more on cookies, read here. So, what type of cookies are blondies? Good old fashioned bar cookies (not the one the blonde walked into). They are basically brownies without the chocolate melted into them. But, most variations of brownies still have chocolate chips in them. However, the chocolate is there for texture. It’s not the predominant flavor. Our recipe actually uses white chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate to really distinguish between brownies and blondies. Otherwise, they’d be like bleach blondies with dark roots.

How many times have you heard What did the Blonde say when she walked into a bar?

So, let’s put aside the stereotypes that we’ve heard a million times and focus on what’s good about blondies.

If you like Chocolate Chip Cookies, and you like cake, Blondies are your thing. It’s pretty much cookie dough baked in a pan so it puffs up like a cake. Additionally, there are many variations on the recipe. Some people like it cakey, fluffy, and tall. And, as mentioned before, most add in chocolate chips and walnuts. While this may be the standard, it’s not the only way to make them. Personally, we like them a little more chewy like fudge. The difference is on the amount of egg and flour added. Eggs whip up to give more lift and fluffiness. And, Flour gives a cakiness. So, by cutting down on these two ingredients, we can create a denser, chewy bar. By adding a touch of cream, you can make them even more rich and decadent.

Of course, they don’t need chocolate chips either. They can have a variety of fillings or toppings. Some people use coconut, nuts, toffee, or similar items. But, you could also put in dry fruit, think dates, figs, craisins, raisins, dry blueberries, cherries, and more. And, of course, we always add booze to ours. But, we’ll get to that later.

Interestingly, Blondies actually predate brownies. One would think it was the other way around. But, Chocolate didn’t enter the equation until the early 20th century. Before that, people would add molasses to darken the bars. And, you still can today. So, whaddaya say? Wanna make some blondies? Just Call me…

Caramel Rum Blondies

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course cookie, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24 2 inch bars

Ingredients

  

• 1 Cup Unsalted Butter
• 1 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
• 3/4 Cup White sugar
• 2 Large Eggs Room temperature
• 1 Large Egg Yolk room temperature
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
• 2 Cups AP Flour, may substitute cake flour if available for a lighter bar.
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 Cups White chocolate chips
• Pan spray
• Turbinado sugar for dusting the pan
• For Caramel:
• 1 Cup Turbinado Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Rum
• 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

Instructions

 

• Make the Caramel: Heat sugar in a pan over medium heat. Allow it to melt and brown, Stir as needed. Add in the rum and burn off the alcohol. Add the Cream and stir until well blended. Reduce liquid until it becomes a thick caramel. Allow to cool.
• Preheat oven to 375.
• Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, set aside.
• Melt the butter over medium heat. Transfer to a mixer and whisk in the Sugars and vanilla. Add in the eggs, one at a time with the whisk running. Slowly add in the flour mix a bit at a time so that it doesn't fly everywhere. Continue mixing until well incorporated. Then fold in the White Chocolate Chips.
• Spray a 9×13 sheet pan or baking dish with pan spray. Sprinkle in turbinado sugar and turn and shake the pan until it is evenly coated with sugar. Fill the pan with batter. Spread it out evenly. Then drizzle the caramel on top. You can swirl the caramel into the batter with a fork or toothpick to make nice designs.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until it firms up and gets a nice crust. Allow to cool at least an hour. Then cut into bars.

Keyword Brownies, Caramel, Rum