I love the idea of a proper picnic in the spring or summertime. Spreading a big blanket on the grass, under the shade of a leafy tree, a light breeze blowing through.
Tucking into a basket of fresh food, a pitcher of lemonade or iced tea at the ready. Listening to the birds chirp or the rush of the river as it runs by. And, of course, finishing with something sweet, a homemade goodie or cold slices of ripe watermelon, perhaps.
In reality, though, it’s usually not so ideal. The wind sends paper plates and napkins flying, bugs are just as eager to get into the food as the picnickers, there’s a sharp stick right under your bottom below your blanket, you forgot the mustard, the drinks leaked and … need I go on?
That’s not going to stop me from dining al fresco, though. And I hope it won’t keep you from pursuing picnic perfection either. It can be one of life’s simple pleasures in the warm weather.
And while I can’t tell you what to bring as your main course — sandwiches, or maybe cold fried chicken? I never know quite what to pack — I can say I have just the thing for dessert.
Blondies, those heavenly bar cookies chock full of nuts and chocolate, make the superlative sweet finish to any picnic. Or any meal really, whether eaten indoors or out.
I recently made a batch, chewy and full of butterscotch flavor, studded with chopped, toasted hazelnuts and bittersweet chocolate, their tops golden brown and their middles gooey.
We’re only a household of two, so I thought an 8-inch square pan would yield enough for a few days. But they were so irresistible, they disappeared within 24 hours.
I was inspired to use hazelnuts when I found a forgotten bag of the chopped nuts hiding in the cheese drawer, buried underneath some sharp cheddar. I love the combo of chocolate and hazelnut — think Nutella — so I had a feeling they would work well together in a blondie.
In case you’re not familiar with this aptly named treat, it’s something of a blonde brownie. A chocolate chip cookie in bar form, if you will.
I absolutely love a good chocolate chip cookie, but this hits a little differently. There’s less crunch and more of that buttery, gooey center that makes the middle of the cookie so dang good.
They’re also quick and easy to make, and take well to all manner of mix-ins. You could use any kind of nut (pecans, walnuts, macadamia — although I strongly recommend toasting them first), different types and sizes of chocolate (white, milk, dark, chunks, chips, etc); extras like coconut or caramel; or even dried fruit, like cranberries or cherries.
I recently saw a “dirty blondie” recipe that added coffee to the mix, which sounds fantastic.
This version keeps them pretty basic, letting those buttery, rich, butterscotch flavors shine.
I like to top them with a little sprinkle of good sea salt before serving, just to complement and balance all that sweetness.
For the chocolate, I like to use Ghiradelli 60% bittersweet chips, which are readily available, won’t break the bank and taste fantastic. They are my go-to for chocolate chip cookies as well, among other chocolatey delights.
As far as toasting your nuts goes, there are different methods that can be used, including the oven, or even the microwave. But I prefer to do it on the stovetop.
Just heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Lay the nuts in a single layer and stir continuously until they are brown and fragrant.
Bring a batch of these blondies on your next picnic, tote them along to a family barbecue or get-together with friends, or just pull out the recipe on a rainy day when you need a sweet treat.
Note that this makes a fairly sensible batch, great for a smaller group, but they double beautifully to fill a 9x13 pan if you have a few more to feed.
Have a recipe you’d like me to try out and share? Email it to lauren.flaum@apgecm.com.
Chocolate-hazelnut blondies
Ingredients:
1 stick (½ cup or 113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup (115 grams) packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (126 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup (130 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (55 grams) chopped hazelnuts, toasted (or sub the same amount of walnuts or pecans)
Course sea salt to finish, like maldon or fleur de sel
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, for easy removal and cleanup
In a large bowl, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the melted butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. On low speed, mix in the flour and salt until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly with a rubber spatula.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the top is set and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with a little finishing salt.
Set the pan on a wire rack to cool, then transfer the baked slab to a cutting board. For nice, big blondies, cut into 9 pieces, or cut to size desired.
Store the blondies in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze for longer storage.
— Adapted from Jenn Segal/Once Upon a Chef
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