Caramelized Apple Blondies
Ready to learn how to make your blondies chewy instead of cakey? This simple recipe creates blondies the way they should be, and delivers the oh-so-enticing flavour of sweet, sautéd apples. Now that’s a sweet win-win situation!
For the caramelized apples:
- 2 tbsp (28 g) butter 2 tbsp (28 g) butter
- 3 tbsp (41 g) Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, packed 3 tbsp (41 g) Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, packed
- 2 cups (227 g) apples, peeled, cored, and diced (½-inch cubes) 2 cups (227 g) apples, peeled, cored, and diced (½-inch cubes)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp (2 g) ground cinnamon ½ tsp (2 g) ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp (2 g) salt ¼ tsp (2 g) salt
For the blondies:
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp (133 g) all-purpose flour, divided 1 cup + 1 tbsp (133 g) all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (135 g) bread flour 1 cup + 2 tbsp (135 g) bread flour
- 1 tsp (5 g) baking powder 1 tsp (5 g) baking powder
- ½ tsp (3 g) salt ½ tsp (3 g) salt
- 1 cup (227 g) butter 1 cup (227 g) butter
- 1¾ cup + 1 tbsp (394 g) Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, packed 1¾ cup + 1 tbsp (394 g) Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, packed
- 2 eggs 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract 1 tbsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated 1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated
Nonstick pan
Instructions
For the caramelized apples:
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter; once the butter begins to melt, stir in the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar. When the mixture begins to bubble, add the diced apples, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Try to keep the apples in a single layer. Sauté apples until caramelized on all sides; 10 minutes.
Remove caramelized apples from pan, along with any juices and set aside to cool completely.
For the blondies:
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring that 2 of the opposite facing sides have a 2-inch overhang to make unmoulding easier.
In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup (125 grams) of the all-purpose flour, bread flour, salt, and baking powder until thoroughly combined.
Place butter in a large microwaveable bowl, and heat until just melted. With a whisk, whisk in the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar until combined. Let cool slightly.
In another bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs, yolk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Pour egg mixture into the warm (not hot) sugar-butter mixture. Stir with the whisk until completely combined.
With a rubber spatula, mix in the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Transfer half of the batter into the prepared pan. Evenly smooth the batter out with the spatula or a small offset spatula.
Sift the remaining 1 tablespoon (8 grams) of flour over the cooled caramelized apples. Stir to incorporate. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the batter in the pan. Add the remaining batter over the apple mixture and smooth the top.
Place pan into the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is pale golden in colour, middle is just set, and a skewer inserted into the centre of the pan comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
Remove from oven and place pan onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. When blondies are completely cooled, lift the parchment paper overhang to aid in the removal of the bars.
With a sharp chef’s knife or serrated bread knife, slice blondies into bars.
Blondies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week or wrapped well and frozen for up to 3 months.
Chef's Tip
*We used Granny Smith apples for their tartness, but any good baking apple that you find at your farmers’ market, orchard, or grocery store will work in this recipe. For added depth and contrasts in flavour and texture, use a combination of baking apples.
*Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
*Orange zest would work equally well, in place of the lemon zest.
*If bread flour is unavailable, using only all-purpose flour will work too, though the chewiness will not be as pronounced.
*Do not add eggs immediately after stirring the sugar into the hot butter as this will cook the eggs.
*After blondies have cooled completely and sliced into squares or bars, wrap individual pieces with parchment paper and butcher’s twine for an easy to-go or individually portioned treat.
