I made them again last night, keeping the recipes proportions the same (not doubling.) I cooked them in a loaf pan thinking it would make them nice and thick, and they should cook evenly. Well they turned out badly again - the top was almost overdone but the middle was goopy. Not good.
Until today! They looked better so I tried one - AWESOME! Apparently they need to cool completely, if not overnight, to reach their full potential. The first batch was better the next day, too.
Here's the recipe: (italics mine)
Blondies
Adapted from How to Cook Everything
8 tablespoons butter, melted (I used Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (I used the vanilla)
Pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
- Butter an 8×8 pan (or a 9x5 loaf pan if you want them thicker)
- Mix melted butter with brown sugar – beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla.
- Add salt, stir in flour. Mix in any additions (below).
- Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350°F 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle. I always err on the side of caution with baking times — nobody ever complained about a gooey-middled cookie. Cool on rack before cutting them.
Further additions, use one or a combination of:
- 1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts, toasting them first for even better flavor
- 1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon mint extract in addition to or in place of the vanilla
- 1/2 cup mashed bananas
- 1/4 cup bourbon, scotch or other whiskey; increase the flour by one tablespoon
- 2 tablespoons of espresso powder with the vanilla
- Stir 1/2 cup dried fruit, especially dried cherries, into the prepared batter
- Top with a vanilla butter cream or chocolate peanut butter cream frosting
