Nutty Salted Caramel Blondies

Wtf happened to Spring?

As I write this, there is snow on the ground and I’m legitimately concerned my screen sliding door is going to blow off because the wind is insane.  I thought I would be making my first rhubarb pie of the year at this point, wearing a trenchcoat and MAYBE sunglasses.

Instead, I brought my parka back out and was dealing with wet snow making its way into my Doc Martens because my angry footsteps were causing it to fly into my leg and therefore, down into my shoe.

But that also means that instead of a rhubarb pie, I made these ooey-gooey sweet and salty blondies, with the glory of brown butter, tahini and almond butter (because you don’t have enough tahini – happy accident).  A shimmering layer of caramel and a sprinkling of sea salt brings it all together, for those days when you want to curl up into a Netflix burrito and watch Christina Tosi kill it on Chef’s Table (seriously if she doesn’t light a fire under your ass I don’t know who or what will).

For the tahini/almond butter component, feel free to play with it.  I think a full 1/2 cup of tahini would be awesome here, or you could replace the almond butter with cashew butter or peanut butter (preferably the natural kind).  I sprinkled on sea salt before baking as well as a few flakes after it had set so they stood out against the caramel, but the method is up to you.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup salted butter, browned
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup almond butter (or tahini)
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg plus one yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce (I used Bonne Maman dulce de leche)
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Steps

Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9×9 pan with aluminum foil.  Lightly grease foil with butter.

To brown your butter, melt over medium heat.  After melting, allow the butter to bubble and foam, stirring frequently until it begins browning on the bottom.  Continue cooking and stirring until the butter is a dark golden brown and gives off a nutty smell.  Carefully pour into a bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Add tahini and almond butter to brown butter and beat until all are combined and smooth.  Add brown and white sugars and mix on medium speed until all incorporated (it will look grainy).

Add egg, yolk and vanilla and beat on medium speed until the batter colour lightens a few shades, a couple of minutes.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to batter in 3 parts, mixing until just combined after each addition, scraping down bowl as needed.

Evenly press dough into prepared pan using a spatula and/or your hands.  Dollop caramel sauce all over, spreading all over the dough with a butter knife.  Sprinkle with flaky salt.

Bake at 350F for 23 minutes, until edges are slightly browned and a toothpick in the middle comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan (almost) completely, sprinkle with more flaky salt and cut into desired squares.