There's a Flaw Here Somewhere...

[Jeni78]

Hi All,

I have an old recipe for blondies - loved them but they cooled too hard to bite into!

Here it is, can someone tell me what the flaw might be?

2 c packed brown sugar
2/3 c butter
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1 c (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 c chopped nuts

Heat brown sugar and butter over medium heat until sugar dissolves.

Cool slightly and stir in eggs (one at a time) and vanilla.

Stir in flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Spread in 13x9x2 pan and sprinkle with chocolate and nuts.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, cut while warm, cool on rack.

[forty_caliber]

I know the following recipe works. Compared to this one, yours has a smaller ratio of shortening to flour. Additionally, this one calls for creaming shortening and sugars rather than heating them.

Is it possible you heated the sugar to the point of hard candy?



Coconut Blondies
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Recipe By: Adapted from Gourmet
Yield: Makes 32 (2-inch) squares

Ingredients:

2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pecans (6 ounces), toasted and cooled
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 13- by 9-inch baking pan.

Place room temperature (softened) butter in stand mixer bowl with brown sugar and vanilla. Beat at low speed until creamy. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time and beat at medium speed until mixture is glossy and smooth.

Add flour, baking soda, and salt, then beat into butter mixture. Stir in pecans and 1 1/2 cups coconut and beat until well incorporated.

Spread in pan and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Bake until a pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool completely.

Notes:

Adapted to use stand mixer.

[SillyOldBear]

Something else - I have found in the past that if the brown sugar isn't soft to begin with, the cookies can come out hard.

SOB

[ChefJune]

Looks like the ratio of butter to flour is off. Not enough butter and too much flour.

[Jeni78]

Thanks everyone, I'll try them again.

forty - anything is possible when I am cooking, but I don't *think* I overheated the sugar. :)