Biscoff Nutella Blondies

Biscoff Nutella Blondies - made May 20, 2012, recipe adapted from Great Cookies by Carole Walter

Happy Memorial Day!  Remembering our troops and expressing gratitude for their unwavering service in protecting our country today and always.

I'm still catching up from my business trip last week and this was the last thing I baked before I left.  Ever since I made the Chewy Biscoff Blondies, I've been toying with the idea of another version of Biscoff Blondies, this time with Nutella swirled in.  I adapted this recipe from Carole Walter, another cookbook author whose recipes turn out way more often than not so I've learned to rely on her baking books as well.  I upped the ante by making a crust out of Golden Oreo Cookies.  I originally bought the golden Oreos because I saw a cookie recipe I wanted to try that uses them.  I sampled a couple of the golden Oreos themselves but alas, I didn't think they measured up to their original chocolate brethren.  So I made them into a crust instead.

Sadly, this experiment wasn't as successful as I had hoped.  I was once again struck by the underbaking gods and took the blondies out too soon.  They were still good but would've been better if they had baked longer.  The Golden Oreo cookie crust also didn't work out as well as I had hoped.  Turns out if I don't like them in cookie form, I also don't care for their taste in cookie crust form.  The taste of the crust didn't go well with the biscoff/nutella combo so I will have to make these again without the crust and see how I like the two flavors mixed together.  The only saving grace is the blondie recipe seems really good so I might have to make that as is without my modifications and see how Carole Walter intended them to be.

Crust (omit crust if you don't like Golden Oreos)

1 15.5-ounce package Golden Oreos

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blondies

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided

¾ cup lightly packed light brown sugar

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup Biscoff spread (or Speculoos Cookie Butter)

1 generous cup of Nutella, more if you’re inclined

1.      Position the shelf in the center of the oven.  Heat the oven to 350˚F.  Line a 9 x 13” baking pan with foil and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

2.      Process the golden Oreos in a food processor until powdery crumbs.  Transfer to mixing bowl.  Add vanilla extract to melted butter, whisk to blend, and pour over crumbs.  Blend with wooden spoon until crumbs are evenly moistened.  Pour into pan and pat into thin even layer.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

3.      For the blondies: strain together the flour, baking soda and salt.

4.      Melt ½ cup (1 stick) of the butter in a ceramic bowl in the microwave for 1 minute or until it is almost completely melted.  Add the brown sugar, mixing well.

5.      In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the remaining ½ cup (1 stick) of butter on medium speed.  Add the granulated sugar in a steady stream and mix until lightened in color.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Blend in the tepid melted butter and brown sugar.  Beat on medium speed until thick and creamy, about 1 minute, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.  Beat in the vanilla and biscoff.

6.      Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing only to combine.  Remove the bowl from the machine and, using a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula, drop in dollops of Nutella, taking care not to overmix or blend too much into the blondie batter.  There should be distinct swirls of nutella throughout.  Scrape the batter into the pan over the crust, using a small metal spatula to smooth the top.

7.      Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Do not overbake.  Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.  Let stand 1 hour, then cut into 1 ¾” x 2 ½” bars.