I haven't talked much about my home renovation and kitchen project yet here on The Kitchn perhaps out of superstition, and also exhaustion. (I understand now why people often have so few helpful photos of their renovations in progress. By the time you get to the interesting bits, you're so exhausted and ready to be done, the camera is the last thing you reach for. Bourbon is much more the thing at this point in a full home renovation.)
But at every step in this long and overwhelming project, my in-laws, who have quite a lot of building and renovating experience themselves, have been unfailingly encouraging and helpful. The crowning moment, though, was when Jim came gladly over to help us push, shove, and lock those infamous IKEA AKURUM cabinets together. To me, that's love.
Putting cabinets together, assembly line style!
I felt like the moment called for an extra helping of maple syrup and butter together. I've been thinking about a maple blondie for a while, as I felt it had a good chance of being truly maple tasting, unlike a lot of maple desserts, which are often too subtle for my taste. I wanted the maple taste in these blondies to come through strong.
I did this through a triple dose. First, there's maple syrup in the batter. Secondly, I chop up a 2-ounce piece of maple sugar candy (one of those thick maple sugar leaves you find in specialty candy sections at the grocery store should do fine), which adds unexpected melting bits of pure maple in the bars. And finally, I drizzle on a glaze of maple syrup cooked with butter. The result is very sweet, and quite soft and chewy, as I think a blondie should be. They are also quick to whip up.
These blondies turned out to be the indulgent treat I was looking for, and one that's going on my Thanksgiving table this year. I have a lot to be thankful for a soon-to-be-finished new kitchen, handy in-laws, and good folks who really, really love the taste of maple syrup.
Maple Pecan Blondies
Makes one 9x13 pan blondies (about 30 2x2 servings).2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup grade B maple syrup
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ounces maple sugar candy, chopped
Maple Butter Glaze
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup grade B maple syrup
1/4 cup light brown sugar
Heat the oven to 350F. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper so that the ends fall over the long sides of the pan. Grease very lightly with butter or baking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, chopped pecans, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda. In a separate bowl or large measuring pitcher, whisk together the melted butter, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients, and fold together quickly and firmly until completely combined. Fold in the chopped maple sugar candy.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan. It will be quite thick and sticky. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the center is just barely cooked and set. The blondies should be very soft still.
While the blondies are baking, make the maple butter glaze: Melt the butter in a small saucepan then stir in the maple syrup and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat (watch out that it doesn't boil over) and cook at a full boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Drizzle the warm glaze over the blondies. Reserve any leftover glaze and refrigerate, well covered. It will last for at least a week in the refrigerator, and can be used for serving the blondies, or drizzled over ice cream.
Set the blondies aside to cool for at least a full hour. Lift out of the pan using the parchment to lift them straight up. Cut into small squares to serve.
More Bar Cookies
How To Make Halfway Cookies
Dark Chocolate and Hazelnut Skillet Blondies
Peach & Pecan Oat Crumble Bars
Irish Shortbread Toffee Bars
Derby Pie Bars
(Images: Faith Durand)
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The flavor of maple syrup is more than simple sweetness, which may be why it works so well in savory recipes, especially the kinds of recipes we start dreaming about at this time of year: crisp-skinned roast chickens glazed with maple and lemon, shredded Brussels sprouts topped with maple-toasted nuts, and roasted root vegetables tossed with maple and sage.
Q: My daughter is turning two next month and we've decided to host a pancake brunch. We'll have maple syrup, of course, and probably some fruit, but what else should we serve as toppings? Any ideas for something a little adventurous?
Once upon a time long ago, a friend of mine told me she was doing a crazy thing called the Master Cleanse; for something like thirty days she consumed only a tonic made from water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup. This, of course, went down in California. Since then I've tried the Master Cleanse once, for three miserable days, and bombed.