Butterscotch Blondie Bars

 

Ingredients (Makes about 40 pieces)

Blondie Base

• 2 cups plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp salt

Caramel Top

• 1 1/2 cups pretzels, coarsely crushed
• 3 cups unsalted peanuts
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 heaped tablespoon butter

Method

Blondie Base

Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Line a 30cm baking tray, leaving an overhang to help pull the slice out later with

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl

Place the brown sugar in another bowl
Melt the butter in a small saucepan and boil until it begins to darken

Add to the brown sugar and beat well until it's cooled slightly

Add the 2 eggs and vanilla and beat again until well combined
Stir through the flour mixture

Spread the mixture across the lined baking tray

Transfer to oven for 20-25 minutes or until beginning to pull away from the edge of the pan
Leave to cool completely in the tin

Caramel Top

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Place the peanuts on a baking tray and transfer to oven

Bake for 10-20 minutes or until fragrant and beginning to become golden
Cool and mix with the pretzels

Place the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved

Raise the heat and boil the sugar mixture, without stirring, for 12-15 minutes or until a light amber color is reached
Add the honey and cook for a further 2 minutes

Remove from the heat and stir through the butter
Once the butter has dissolved, add the cream
Mix through the peanuts and pretzels

Spread over the top of the cooled blondie base
Refrigerate in the tin for 2-3 hours before slicing. Refrigerate until 30 minutes before you wish to serve them.