Brown Butter Blondies with White Chocolate Ganache
Chewy brown sugar blondies enriched with orange and almond extract, topped with silky white chocolate ganache. The citrus notes cut through the sweetness while the ganache creates an elegant finish. Perfect for dessert potlucks, holiday platters, or whenever you want a sophisticated bar cookie. This version uses double boiler technique for smooth ganache rather than microwave melting, ensuring professional results without seizing.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and coat an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- 2
Beat eggs and sugar with electric mixer until light and thick.
- 3
Fold in flour, then butter, orange extract, and almond extract.
- 4
Transfer batter to prepared pan.
- 5
Bake until set and golden at edges.
- 6
Cool for 10 minutes.
- 7
Meanwhile, combine chocolate chips and cream in top of double boiler.
- 8
Stir until melted and smooth.
- 9
Pour ganache over cooled bars and spread to edges.
- 10
Refrigerate until ganache is set.
Tips
Beat eggs and sugar thoroughly until pale and voluminous for tender, cake-like texture. Under-mixing results in dense bars.
Use double boiler for ganache to prevent chocolate seizing. Water should simmer gently, never touching bowl bottom.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate in airtight container up to 4 days. Room temperature storage accelerates ganache softening.
Prepare blondies without ganache up to 2 days ahead. Make ganache same day. Pour ganache while bars still slightly warm for best coverage.
Cut into 9 or 16 pieces. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Ganache will soften above 70 degrees F.
Common Mistakes
Do not overmix batter after adding flour to avoid tough, dense bars.
Do not allow double boiler water to boil vigorously or chocolate may seize.
Do not skip refrigeration or ganache will not set properly for clean cutting.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
bright citrus variation
FAQ
Can I make this without orange and almond extract?
Yes. Omit extracts or substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for both. The bars will taste more like classic blondies. Other citrus extracts like lemon work well at half the quantity.
What if my ganache looks grainy or broken?
Remove from heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon hot cream at a time until smooth. Graininess typically means overheating. Prevent by keeping water below boiling and stirring frequently.
How long can I keep these and can I freeze them?
Refrigerate up to 4 days in airtight container. Freeze blondies without ganache for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature. Ganache does not freeze well due to texture separation.