- BUTTERSCOTCH
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar, packed (140g)
- 7 tablespoons butter, (100g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste, seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean, or 2 tsps vanilla extract
- BLONDIES
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, (170g) plus more for the pan
- 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour , (225g)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1⅓ cups light brown sugar, packed (280g)
- 2 large eggs , cold from the fridge (100g)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Flaky salt (optional)
ingredients
directions
1. Prep: Grease an 8x8 baking pan, then line with parchment paper. Also put parchment or silpat on a medium baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350˚F. |
2. Make the butterscotch candy: Combine dark brown sugar, a little bit of water, kosher salt, vanilla, and butter to a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring frequently. Monitor the temperature with a candy thermometer or instant-read thermometer; when the mixture reaches 260˚F immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Pour onto lined baking sheet, let it cool down, then put into the freezer to harden. |
3. Brown the butter: Put the butter in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium and stir constantly, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan. When the bubbling subsides and you see floating golden specks, remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking. Add two ice cubes and stir them in until they melt. |
4. Make the batter: Whisk together all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda, and set aside. Once the brown butter is just a little above room temperature, stir brown sugar into the butter and whisk thoroughly. Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each egg to yield a satiny texture. Whisk in the vanilla, then stir in the dry ingredients until it’s all smooth. Set it aside to allow it to firm up a little. |
5. Break or cut the butterscotch candy into 1-1/2” pieces. Stir 2/3 of the pieces into the batter. Pour batter into prepared baking pan, and spread into an even layer. Stud the top with the rest of the butterscotch pieces, and sprinkle flaky salt over it all. Bake for about 25–40 minutes in the center of the oven, until just firm in the center. Allow to cook on a cooling rack before slicing. |
