Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Coffee Blondies

2 days into the month of all things sappy, I bring you something sweet yet packs a different kind of punch.

Oh, coffee!

If there's someone in your life and you know they'd appreciate an outstanding dessert more than anything, I got you.

Actually, Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen got you.  Not I.  I simply followed her 'infinitely adaptable blondie' recipe and you guessed it, adapted it to my fancy.

Here's Deb's easy and delicious blondie recipe with my little additions!

Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Coffee Blondies from Smitten Kitchen**

What you'll be needing:

1 stick of unsalted butter, browned and cooled

3/4 cup light brown sugar*, loosely packed

1 large egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee*

1/2 teaspoon salt*

1 cup flour

1/2 cup chocolate chunks*

1/2 cup pistachios*, roughly chopped

What you'll be doing:

Brown butter on a saucepan over low heat just so we don't scorch the butter but may take longer than on a much higher heat.  If you have never browned butter before, what will happen is the butter will melt, then it will foam up, then you'll see some solids rise, just keep stirring until you see those solids have turned golden brown.  Immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl and let cool completely.

While you wait, preheat oven to 170ºC and prepare an 8x8 square pan.

Once cooled, transfer browned butter to a much larger mixing bowl then add sugar and egg.  You don't need any mixer for this just use a trusty old whisk and whisk away!  Dissolve instant coffee in the vanilla then pour into the butter-sugar-egg mixture, whisk.  Add salt and flour and mix only until just combined.  With a spatula, fold in chocolate chunks and pistachios.  Place the blondie batter onto the prepared pan and try to even the layer with the spatula.  You can sprinkle more chocolate chunks and chopped pistachios on the surface before baking.

Bake the blondie fo 20-25 minutes.  Let the blondie cool before you cut and/or devour!

*those with asterisks are the changes I made to the recipe

**this recipe is Deb Perelman's and not mine

Oh, wait! You're making these for somebody and not for yourself, right?

Yeah, you're absolutely right.  They'll understand if you have just one or five before you package these nicely.  All set to share the coffee and sweetness in tiny rectangles!

You need these blondies in your life regardless of your relationship status.  Don't want romance?  Have some of these blondies, they're way better anyway.  You do want romance?  You've come to the wrong place, unfortunately, but still, have some blondies.  You know what?  Be it February or October, these blondies will surely be appreciated.  Make them whenever you're craving for something out of this world delicious.

Anyhoo.  If you gave these to your bae or friend or parents or whoever is important to you, I'd like to know their reactions!  But if you kept most or the entire thing to yourself, it's absolutely okay.  You can always tell them about how delicious these blondies were!

Make them again.  I will for sure.

Til the next post!