Brown Butter Blondies

I felt like indulging into some kind of Julie & Julia project, but the only thing different is that I'm using Williams-Sonoma's Essentials of Baking recipes. They are actually very basic and typical continental recipes but well I must say I'm having fun challenging myself to do it. So today another recipe from its Cookies, Bars and Brownies section, it called Brown Butter Blondies. Blondies are similar to brownies minus the chocolate. What in the world is Brown Butter? Just go to Cold Storage and ask for a brown butter....nope!...stop there!  Well, it made from clarified butter.

Clarified butter process:

• Melt a 250g unsalted butter in a small glass pan (or frying pan) over a low heat until it is foamy on the surface
• Remove the pan from heat, let is rest for a couple of minutes. It will form 3 layers, which is the foam on the surface, yellow liquid in the middle and milk solid in the bottom.
• Using a tablespoon, remove the foam from the surface. Pour the yellow liquid into a clean bowl very carefully and leave the milk solids behind in the pan. Discard the milk solid.

Brown Butter:

• Heat clarified butter in a small glass bowl (or frying pan) over low heat until light brown about 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat. It will look like this...
• 250g butter will yield the required amount of the clarified butter in this recipe

Ok...let us meet and get to know these blondies better, shall we?

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups self raising flour

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup clarified unsalted butter

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup caster sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon juice

1. Preheat oven 160 degrees Celsius. Line an 8 inch baking tray with baking paper
2. In a medium bowl, sift the flour and salt. Set aside
3. In a small glass pan, heat the clarified butter until light brown for about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine both sugars and slightly cooled brown butter and stir using a silicone spatula until well blended. Mix in the eggs, vanilla and lemon juice until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. 
5. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean
6. Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool for about 1 hour
7. Serve with ice cream and chocolate sauce