Butterscotch Blondies

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup pecans
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Recipe

• 1 make the blondies: set rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°f.
• 2 butter and flour a 9 x 13" baking pan.
• 3 in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• 4 beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• 5 add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 6 beat in the vanilla.
• 7 at low speed, mix in the dry ingredients in 3 additions until just blended.
• 8 spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden and a cake tester comes out clean.
• 9 cool completely.
• 10 make the caramel frosting: spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 8 minutes, or until fragrant and brown (it is good to do this when you remove your blondies from the oven, as the oven will already be hot).
• 11 cool, then chop coarsely.
• 12 in a saucepan, combine the cream, brown sugar, sugar, egg yolks, butter and salt.
• 13 cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens, about 12 minutes; do not boil.
• 14 strain the mixture into a large bowl, pressing it through a sieve.
• 15 stir in the vanilla, coconut and pecans and cool completely.
• 16 spread the frosting evenly over the blondies.
• 17 cover the pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• 18 cut into 48 small bars and serve cold or at room temperature.
• 19 these should be refrigerated if not eaten immediately.