Oh how I love to turn my oven on in the fall. My husband cannot understand how I can even think of turning on the oven in the summer months because it is so hot. I cannot understand how he doesn’t understand my need for baked goods! I am truly sad to see the exit of summer this year, especially since it was such a great one. And even more-so because we’re expected to have another frigid, snowy winter this year. I feel like I barely got to break out my shorts and tank tops! Although that could be more due to the fact that hardly anything fit me. Having a baby in April does NOT do any favors for the waistline come bikini season. Neither does eating these blondies… But they’re so good. They’re so good you will eat them anyway and not care one bit about your waistline while you’re washing them down with that big glass of milk. Just try to make it fat-free milk. 🙂
Banana Blondies with Chocolate Crust, adapted from The New York Times
Ingredients
- 2 ½ sticks unsalted butter (1 1/4 cups), more for greasing pan
- 200 grams chocolate wafer cookies (to make about 3 cups crumbs)
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus a pinch
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons dark rum or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment, and grease with butter.
Melt 1 stick of butter in a saucepan over low heat or in microwave. Put the chocolate wafer cookies in the bowl of a food processor and process to make fine crumbs. Add the light brown sugar, melted butter and a pinch of salt. Process until the mixture is the consistency of damp sand. Dump the mixture into the pan and press it into an even layer. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the surface is firm. Remove the pan and set aside.
Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 12 tablespoons butter, then let it cook until the foam subsides and butter turns a deep nut brown, about 5 minutes. Cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together bananas, eggs, dark brown sugar and rum. Whisk in brown butter. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and fine salt. Fold into batter along with the toasted walnuts. Pour the mixture over the prepared crust and spread evenly. Sprinkle top with flaky salt if using.
Transfer pan to oven and bake until the top is firm and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges with a few crumbs attached (or clean) but not wet, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack; cut into 24 bars.
https://www.theculinaryenthusiast.com/2014/09/16/banana-blondies-with-chocolate-crust-from-the-new-york-times/
