Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

Steps

Kid helper. A child can do steps 5, 6, 7 and 8: no knife, no heat. Steps marked “Grown-up” use a knife or heat. Cooking with kids

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

   Grease (how to grease and flour a pan)

   Grease and flour a pan Coat a pan with fat (and sometimes flour) so baked goods release cleanly. 1. Rub a thin layer of soft butter or shortening into every corner with a paper towel, or use baking spray.2. For cakes, add a spoonful of flour, tilt and tap the pan until it is coated.3. Turn the pan over and tap out the extra flour.4. For chocolate cakes, use cocoa instead of flour so there is no white film. Done when: Every surface, corners included, is lightly coated with no bare spots or thick clumps. How to grease and flour a baking pan: mistakes to avoid

   a 9x13-inch pan and

   line (how to line a pan)

   Line a pan Cover the bottom (and sometimes sides) of a pan with parchment or foil so food doesn't stick and lifts out easily. 1. For a sheet pan, tear parchment the size of the pan and lay it flat.2. For a round cake pan, trace the bottom on parchment, cut the circle out and press it in.3. For brownies and bars, leave two long sides hanging over to make handles (a "sling").4. A little grease under the paper holds it in place. Done when: The paper lies flat with no folds where the batter could run under it. How to line a baking pan with parchment: mistakes to avoid

   it with parchment, leaving overhang on the long sides.
   350°FGrown-up: heat
2. Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Keep cooking, swirling the pan, until it foams, smells nutty and the bits on the bottom turn golden brown.
   ⏱ Brown butter: 6 minGrown-up: heat
3. Pour the

   brown butter (how to brown butter)

   Brown butter Cook butter past melting until the milk solids toast and it smells nutty. 1. Cut the butter into pieces and melt it in a light-colored pan, so you can see the color, over medium heat.2. Swirl the pan as it foams and crackles.3. Watch the bottom: tiny brown flecks appear and it smells like toasted nuts.4. Pour it into a heatproof bowl right away, scraping in the brown bits. Done when: The butter is amber, the flecks are brown (not black) and it smells nutty, after 5 to 8 minutes. Safety: Browned butter is far hotter than boiling water; let it cool before you mix it with eggs or taste it.How to brown butter: mistakes to avoid

   and all the browned bits into a large bowl right away so it stops cooking.
   Grown-up: heat
4. Whisk (how to whisk)

   Whisk Beat ingredients with a whisk to mix them smoothly or to add air. 1. Use a bowl big enough to whisk without splashing; set it on a damp towel to stop it spinning.2. Hold the whisk loosely and move it in quick circles or side to side, touching the bottom.3. For lumpy mixtures, add liquid a little at a time and whisk after each.4. For sauces on the stove, keep the whisk moving across the whole bottom of the pan. Done when: The mixture is even with no lumps or streaks of egg. How to whisk: mistakes to avoid

   the brown sugar into the butter until smooth, then let it cool.
   ⏱ Cool butter: 10 minGrown-up: heat
5. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
   Kid step
6. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and

   fold (how to fold)

   Fold Combine a light mixture (whipped cream, beaten whites) or chunky add-ins into a batter gently, so it stays airy. 1. Put the lighter mixture on top of the heavier one, or add the flour or chips.2. Cut a rubber spatula straight down through the middle to the bottom of the bowl.3. Sweep it across the bottom and up the side, then turn it over on top.4. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat.5. Stop as soon as no streaks remain. Done when: There are no dry streaks or white blobs, and the mixture still looks light and puffy. Safety: Batters with raw eggs or flour aren't safe to eat raw.How to fold ingredients into a batter: mistakes to avoid

   with a spatula until just combined.
   Kid step
7. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans, if using.
   Kid step
8. Spread the batter evenly in the pan. It will be thick, so use the spatula to push it into the corners.
   Kid step
9. Bake until the edges are golden and pulling away from the pan and

   a toothpick (how to toothpick test)

   Toothpick test A quick way to tell if a cake, quick bread or brownie is baked through. 1. Near the end of the baking time, open the oven and pull out the rack.2. Poke a toothpick or thin skewer into the center (the last place to set).3. Pull it straight out and look at it.4. If wet batter clings, bake a few minutes more and test again. Done when: Clean, or with a few moist crumbs for brownies and fudgy cakes. Wet, shiny batter means not yet. How to test a cake with a toothpick: mistakes to avoid

   in the center comes out with moist crumbs.
   350°F⏱ Bake: 28 minGrown-up: heat
10. Cool completely in the pan on a rack before cutting into 24 bars.
    ⏱ Cool: 1 hr 30 minGrown-up: knife, heat

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

• Brown butter goes from golden to burnt quickly. Once it smells nutty and the specks are the color of toast, pour it out.
• Underbaking slightly keeps them chewy. They firm up as they cool.

Storage

Covered at room temperature up to 4 days.

Make ahead

Freeze the cooled, cut bars in a single layer, then bag them up to 3 months.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.