Pecan Blondies with Brown Butter Center

SERVINGS: MAKES 24

Brown Butter Mixture
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 large egg
¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon kosher salt
⅓ cup Blends by Orly London Blend

Blondies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2¼ cups Blends by Orly London Blend
1½ cups pecans, chopped
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1¾ cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate or Vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)

Cook:  Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter foams and then browns, about 5–7 minutes.  Do not burn the butter. Transfer butter to a medium bowl and let cool slightly.  Add egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat with whisk until mixture is light and forms a ribbon, about 3 minutes. Fold in London Blend.

Heat: Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter or spray a 13x9” baking dish and dust with London Blend. Toast pecans on a baking sheet until slightly darkened and fragrant, 5-7 minutes.  Set aside.  

Mix: In a large bowl, whisk baking powder, salt, and 2¼ cups London Blend and set aside. In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed, cream together 1 cup butter and brown sugar until light in color, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time.  Continue beating until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Reduce speed to low and add the dry mixture. Fold in half of pecans until incorporated into the batter. Pour two-thirds of batter into prepared baking dish; smooth top with a pallet knife, pushing out the batter evenly to the edges. Alternating, spoon the brown butter mixture and remaining batter on top. Smooth the top and sprinkle remaining pecans over.

Bake: Bake until blondie is golden brown and firm, about 30 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream.