Brown Butter Apple Blondies

Written by JRC Reporter Benson Chan

As Thanksgiving approaches, the lively family dinner parties and friendly gatherings become more frequent. So, this year, we recommend baking this sweet treat to share with your loved ones and friends.

These brown butter apple blondies are a recipe by Taylor Ann Spencer and create 32 delicious servings using an 8 by 8 baking pan.

Ingredients:

Pre-measuring and gathering ingredients is an essential part of baking, and prevents the mid-mixing crisis of scrambling for missing or unmeasured components.

The ingredients for the blondies include:

10 oz. of unsalted butter

12 oz. of cubed apples (Honeycrisp apple recommended)

1 and ¾ cups of packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature

2 and ¼ teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon of baking soda

2 cups of all-purpose flour

¾ cup of powdered sugar

2 tablespoons of whole milk

Making the blondie:

1. Start by browning 9 oz. of butter. To ensure the butter browns evenly, cube the sticks before placing into the pan. Over a medium heat, continuously stir the butter for 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the browned butter into a heatproof bowl to cool until it has reached room temperature.

2. Next, melt the remaining 1 oz. of butter and mix with the cubed apples in a heated pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the apples are tender.

   
   
   
   
   

3. Once the apples are tender, set them aside and begin creating the batter. Start by reserving 2 tablespoons of the browned butter into a separate bowl; this will become the base for the frosting.

4. Be sure to preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and oil the interior of your baking pan.

5. With the remaining browned butter, add the light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Whisk thoroughly until a homogenous mixture is achieved.

6. When mixed, add the eggs and baking soda until the ingredients are fully incorporated.

7. Next, fold in the flour with a rubber spatula, followed by the cooked apples. Fold until the ingredients are evenly distributed and no large clumps of flour are visible.

8. 

   Finally, distribute half of the batter into the baking pan and transfer it into the oven. Bake for around 20 to 25 minutes.

   

   Creating the Browned Butter Frosting:

   Add the powdered sugar, whole milk, and ¼ teaspoon of the vanilla extract to the reserved 2 tablespoons of browned butter.

   Whisk a smooth consistency is achieved. It should be easily poured.

   
   

   Final Steps:

   Once the blondies are done baking, let them cool for around 10 minutes and remove them from the pan. Drizzle the browned butter frosting onto the blondies. Let the frosting solidify before dividing into a 4 by 4 grid.

The result should be a dense, sweet dessert filled with the slight crunch of the cubed apples that you will be able to enjoy with your family and friends!

This article was provided by Chinese American Parents Association Junior Reporter Club (CAPA JRC) with members who interviewed, audio recorded, wrote, translated, and video recorded. CAPA JRC has 25 Montgomery County middle to high school students. They have created a bilingual platform delivering news and serving the community.

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