Wednesday 5 October 2011

Toasted Coconut and Dark Chocolate Blondies



This recipe is essentially a list of things I love. Toasted coconut? Check. Brown butter? Check. Brown sugar? Check. Dark Chocolate? Check. Vanilla? Salt? Egg? Flour? Check.

I first made blondies during my finals. They're perfect for that sort of thing: special, sweet, and easy to put together. They also freeze really well (just like brownies) so they're great if you're living alone. You can just pick one out as and when, rather than worrying about something going stale. I have a strange fondness for them straight out of the freezer when they're crunchy and cold.

I'll leave you with the tweet I sent when I tasted my first blondie, back in May: 'Blondies = YUM.'



Toasted Coconut and Dark Chocolate Blondies
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

20g shredded dessicated coconut
20g strips of dessicated coconut
120g unsalted butter
180g light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
big pinch of salt
115g plain flour
100g dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line an 8" square tin with greaseproof paper. Place the shredded coconut into a dry medium frying pan and toast until golden, then remove to a plate to cool. Repeat for the strips. Put the butter into the pan and melt. Keep cooking until the foam subsides and the pan is full of brown speckles and your kitchen smells heavenly. Leave to cool for a minute while you chop the chocolate into chunks.

Place the sugar into a medium mixing bowl and pour in the brown butter. Beat until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat again. Sieve the flour and salt over the top and mix until uniform. Remove a few strips of coconut, then toss the rest of it into the mixture, followed by the chocolate. Scrape into the pan and spread into the corners. Top with the reserved strips of coconut and place into the oven.

Bake for 20-25 minutes - you want the insides to still be a bit gooey. Leave to cool on a rack before slicing into 16 squares.

(Makes about 16 small squares)



16 comments:

  1. Divine looking blondies! A delightful combination.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    ReplyDelete
  2. THESE LOOK AMAZING!

    ReplyDelete
  3. They look delicious, and that's a list of things I love too! Never made blondies before so I feel like I ought to start with a more basic recipe, but these may queue jump!

    ReplyDelete
  4. wow, I'd never have thought of freezing baked goods! It's a great idea though as since I live alone, I usually a) don't bake or b) bake and eat everything because nobody else is here lol! Do you freeze them individually then?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh ure like me.....I love eatig things cold or frozen! hubby isn't a great fan of desserts so i usually freeze and eat wheneevr i feel like it....me and marya that is!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Rosa - thanks! I was inspired by a cookie recipe I saw ages ago and noted the flavours down :)

    Lisbeth Shaw - hehe! They're very addictive.

    hungryhinny - You could not brown the butter if you'd like a simpler recipe, but I think it pushes them over the edge. You could swap in other nuts, dried fruits and chocolates, too.

    Annie - It's a great idea - my mum does it all the time. I just stick them in on a tray (set out so they're not touching) for a few hours, then just stick them in a freezer bag - just like fruit. Then they defrost pretty quickly out on the side - if you can wait!

    Sips and Spoonfuls - I do like frozen things - my favourite as a little girl (and now!) was frozen peas and sweetcorn. It's a great idea when you're only baking for a few :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. These look sooooo divine! Wish I had one now :(

    ReplyDelete
  8. I've never met anyone else who liked brownies straight out the freezer...I used to have them like that all the time! Now I think the flavours develop more when they come to room temperature, but frozen brownies still hold a special place in my heart :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yay for blondies with brown butter! :D Love the addition of toasted coconut, these look seriously addictive.

    ReplyDelete
  10. These look great, and close to my favourite blondies which I have made for ages, and can't get enough of, especially warm from the oven. I will have to try frozen ones too though, as I trust your judgement! Will definitely be trying your recipe with the toasted coconut strips. If you want to try mine:http://www.mydish.co.uk/recipe/10508/coconut-and-double-chocolate-blondies

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh wow. Brown butter gives a fabulous caramelly flavour, but I haven't used it in blondies.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The look stunning, I've never managed to take a decent photo of a brownie.
    Good luck with your course!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Nic@diningwithastud - You can make them now! Hehe, glad you like them.

    thelittleloaf - I've definitely read before that brownies improve in flavour once frozen. I almost always freeze the whole pan for an hour or two at least before eating them - at room temperature or frozen :P

    Stephcookie - They are SO addictive.

    Anonymous - Haha well it might be an acquired taste! Great minds obviously think alike with the coconut-chocolat-blondie concept :)

    Choclette - I adore brown butter, it gives such depth of flavour. It really suits blondies, do give it a go!

    Nic - Thanks! They are a bit of a pain to shoot, I know what you mean - so flat and monotone.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Yum! Such a wonderful recipe! I love the coconut in here. And brown butter? Yes please!

    ReplyDelete
  15. We made blondies for the first time recently as well. My boy wanted blondie ice cream sandwiches for his birthday - they were darned good. But this addition of toasted coconut and brown butter... I'm sold!
    -Erin

    ReplyDelete
  16. These look amazing!so glad to have found a blogger who seems to love coconut as much as I do! Recently I've discovered too many coconut haters and it makes me sad! I will have to give these a try!

    ReplyDelete

If you would like to leave a comment or question, please do - I appreciate every one and will reply as soon as possible.

ShareThis