Snow Storm Blondies

Hurray a snow day! Another winter storm is raging outside but in the kitchen the oven is still warm and the house has a pleasant sweet chocolate and vanilla smell through out.  Today is a good day for comfort food and I decided to start off with a simple but delicious dessert (and snack) of blondies.  In The Food Lover's Companion, Blondies are referred to as "a dense, chewie, cake like cookie" that is a vanilla or butterscotch cousin to Brownies that are flavored with chocolate.   So what do you call a Blondie that has all three flavors?  A delightful storm of chocolate, vanilla, pecans and butterscotch with a little espresso powder to round it all out - Snow Storm Blondies!

I've been working with a  recipe from King Arthur Four and made a few adjustments (I'm on my second batch over a few days).   The butterscotch chips are sweet and I decided to reduce the sugar in the recipe.  I also changed the cooking time and temperature.  It is important to have Blondies that are just barely cooked.  You want a little crunch on the outside and some chewiness in the center.

Snow Storm Blondies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Lightly spray a 9 X 13 glass baking pan

In a mixing bowl sift and combine:

2 3/4 cups of flour (and of course I used King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (I use Medaglia D'Oro)

Measure out and set aside:

1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup broken pecans (I broke them by hand instead of chopping)

In a large glass bowl melt 13 tablespoons of unsalted butter.

Whisk in:

3 eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar

Add to the butter mixture:
1 3/4 cups brown sugar (packed into measuring cups)
1/4 cup white sugar

Stir until completely combined and then add the flour mixture.  Stir until just combined and then add the nuts and chips.  Spread the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 35 minutes.  You can check the Blondies with a toothpick inserted in the center.  The toothpick should come out clean but not dry.

Allow to completely cool before cutting.  Now it is time to start dinner.  A small pork roast with a fig and port sauce - maybe a post for another day.  Enjoy!