- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total time
- 75 min
- Yield
- 16 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 390 kcal
Quick summary
“This dessert combines a crunchy cookie crust with a dense blondie batter packed with brown sugar and chocolate. The finishing touch of thick caramel syrup and flaky salt crowns the dessert.”
What you need to know
- Pressed cookie base: baking the crust for 8 minutes before pouring the filling ensures a crispy base.
- Fluffy, chewy dough: beating melted butter with sugars and eggs without kneading the flour preserves the moist crumb.
- Artisanal salted caramel: cooking sugar until amber and emulsifying with cream and butter creates a velvety syrup.
Ingredients
Main
- cups Crushed Maria cookies
- cup Unsalted butter, melted (for the crust)
- tablespoons Light brown sugar (for the crust)
- pinch Fine sea salt (for the crust)
- cup Unsalted butter, melted (for the blondie)
- cups Light brown sugar, packed (for the blondie)
- cup Granulated sugar (for the blondie)
- units Large eggs
- unit Large egg yolk
- teaspoon Pure vanilla extract (for the blondie)
- cups All-purpose flour, sifted
- teaspoon Baking powder
- teaspoon Fine sea salt (for the blondie)
- cup Bittersweet chocolate chips
- cup Granulated sugar (for the caramel)
- cup Water (for the caramel)
- cup Fresh heavy cream (at least 35% fat), heated
- tablespoons Unsalted butter, cubed (for the caramel)
- teaspoon Flaky sea salt (for the caramel)
- teaspoon Pure vanilla extract (for the caramel)
Instructions
Principal
- Preheat the oven to 175°C. Line a 9x13 inch (23x33cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides. In a medium bowl, mix the crushed cookies, ½ cup of melted butter, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and the pinch of salt. Press this mixture firmly into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until firm and lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of melted butter with 1 ½ cups of brown sugar and ½ cup of granulated sugar. Whisk well with a whisk until smooth. Add the 2 eggs, the yolk, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, beating vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the mixture lightens and becomes thick.
- In another bowl, sift the wheat flour, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring only until incorporated. Do not overmix. Finally, gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the blondie batter over the pre-baked crust in the baking pan. Spread evenly. Bake at 175°C for 30-35 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with some moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet on a wire rack.
- For the caramel, in a heavy-bottomed pan, add 1 cup of granulated sugar and ¼ cup of water. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring. Let boil until the mixture begins to caramelize and reaches a deep amber color (approximately 8-12 minutes).
- Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully, pour the heated heavy cream and stir vigorously with a whisk. Add 4 tablespoons of cubed butter and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Continue stirring until the butter melts completely and the caramel is smooth. Finally, mix in ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Let the caramel cool for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens a little, but is still liquid enough to be poured.
- Pour the warm salted caramel over the completely cold blondie. Spread evenly. If desired, finish with an extra pinch of flaky sea salt. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the caramel is firm enough to cut.
Chef's tips
- Line the rectangular baking dish with parchment paper, leaving overhangs on the sides to easily unmold the whole block.
- Do not stir the pan with a spoon while the sugar and water boil for the caramel, avoiding premature crystallization.
- Wait for the blondies to cool for 2 hours before cutting into squares to get clean and very firm slices.
Variations
- Coffee touch: add a teaspoon of instant coffee dissolved in vanilla to the dough for mild mocha notes.
- Filling with walnuts: incorporate a cup of toasted chopped walnuts into the blondie dough along with the chocolate chips.
- Marbled caramel: spread half of the caramel over the raw dough and run a fork in a zigzag pattern before baking.
Substitutions
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: use pieces of white chocolate, high-quality milk chocolate, or chopped pecans.
- Cornstarch cookie: replace with traditional Maria-type biscuits, butter cookies, or oat and honey biscuits.
- Fleur de sel: can be swapped for freshly ground coarse sea salt or sea salt flakes on top.
How to store
Store the blondie squares in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you prefer a firmer texture for the salted caramel sauce, keep refrigerated for 1 week.
Can it be frozen?
Freeze the already roasted and cold pieces wrapped individually in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter for about 1 hour before enjoying the sweet.
What to serve with
Serve with a generous scoop of traditional vanilla ice cream, pure espresso coffee without sugar to balance the intense sweetness, or a cup of hot black tea flavored with bergamot.
Frequently asked questions
What is the secret for the blondie not to be dry like cake?
Remove the baking dish from the oven when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs at the 30-minute mark, without overbaking.
Is the cookie crust at the base mandatory?
The crust provides support and breaks the dense softness of the blondie with a crunchy texture, but the batter can be baked directly on parchment paper.
Can I use store-bought caramel?
Yes, you can use thick dulce de leche or ready-made caramel sauce, adding a teaspoon of sea salt on top.
Why must the heavy cream for the caramel be warm?
Adding cold heavy cream to boiling sugar causes violent thermal shock, dangerous splashes of hot syrup, and hardening of the sugar.
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