Blondies

Makes 36.   Published July 1, 2005.  
Cooks Illustrated

Be very careful not to overbake the blondies; they dry out easily and will turn hard. Start checking the oven a couple of minutes before they will be done. If you can't find our recommended brand of white chocolate chips, coarsely chop a good-quality white chocolate bar.

Ingredients

1	cup pecans or walnuts (4 ounces)
1 1/2	cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)
1	teaspoon baking powder
1/2	teaspoon table salt
12	tablespoons unsalted butter ( 1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled
1 1/2	cups packed light brown sugar (10 1/2 ounces)
2	large eggs , lightly beaten
4	teaspoons vanilla extract
6	ounces white chocolate chips (1 cup) or chopped bar, or 3 ounces each white chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts on large rimmed baking sheet and bake until deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer nuts to cutting board to cool; chop coarsely and set aside.
2. 2. While nuts toast, cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking pan, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet (if using extra-wide foil, fold second sheet lengthwise to 12-inch width). Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. 3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside.
4. 4. Whisk melted butter and brown sugar together in medium bowl until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Using rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into egg mixture until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in chocolate and nuts and turn batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with rubber spatula.
5. 5. Bake until top is shiny, cracked, and light golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes; do not overbake. Cool on wire rack to room temperature. Remove bars from pan by lifting foil overhang and transfer to cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

Blondies Secrets

Published July 1, 2005.

Cooks Illustrated

Had a chewy, full-flavored blondie lately? No? Well, neither had we.

The Problem

Blondies are often greasy, cakey, cloyingly sweet, and bland--an inferior cousin to the brownie.

The Goal

We wanted our blondies to be chewy but not dense, sweet but not cloying, and loaded with nuts and chocolate.

The Solution

Trial and error produced the best texture. We started by testing several traditional recipes, keeping equal parts of light brown sugar and flour but reducing the usual amounts of butter and eggs. We also added baking powder for extra lift. We boosted flavor by adding several stiff shots of vanilla, oven-toasting the nuts, and using a mixture of white chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips. We found the baking time was crucial and learned to disregard the usual signifiers of an adequately baked bar cookie (the cooked dough pulls away from the sides of the pan, a toothpick comes out clean), using color and textural indicators instead: Our blondies were done when they had a light golden brown top that appeared shiny and cracked.