Summer in the city. A little hot, but mostly beautiful. New York has yet to sink into its hot, sticky, everything-smells-like-garbage kinda summer and we're relishing (food puns, anyone?) that it hasn't. It's actually been kinda perfect. Able to wear white jeans and summer blouses without sweating buckets kinda perfect. And we love it. Since it's not quite hot enough to dread turning on the oven, we figured why not bake a little something extra to celebrate the solstice + the official beginning of summer. Nothing quite adds a little something extra than a touch of bourbon to a blondie. Holler.
Bourbon Blondies + Brown Butter Frosting
makes 9-12 | total time: ~2 hours | hands on time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
3/4 c. + 4 tbsp. Butter, Unsalted and softened
2 c. Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 oz. Bourbon
1 1/2 c. All Purpose Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
1 c. Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. Milk
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9 x 12 pan. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside
2. In a skillet over medium heat, stir 3/4 c. butter for about 7 to 8 minutes or until brown bits form at the bottom of the pan. Turn off heat and pour butter into the bowl of a mixmaster.
3. Add the brown sugar to the bowl of the mixmaster for about 2 to 3 minutes, until well combined. Add the eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, and bourbon and continue to beat on medium until smooth and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. On the lowest or 'stir' setting, of the mixmaster, gently combine in the flour mixture.
4. Pour batter into the buttered and pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
5. Once the blondies have cooled, begin the frosting. In a medium saucepan, melt remaining 4 tbsp. of butter over medium heat until medium brown, roughly 8 to 10 minutes. Pour into a medium bowl, not scraping anything off the pan. Add powdered sugar, remaining 1 tsp. of vanilla, and milk. Whisk until thick and creamy in texture. If too thick, add another 1/2 tbsp. of milk. Let cool for about five minutes and frost blondies immediately.
