Tuesday, January 14, 2014

How to Make my BILLIONAIRE BLUEBERRY BLONDIES by Cleo Coyle


With blueberry season in full swing, my husband (and partner in crime-writing) asked me to bake up a pan of these babies this week. Marc thought I should call them Mondies. They are, after all, a cross between a Muffin and a BlondieFrankly, I prefer Bluffin

No, it's not exactly Pastry Chef Dominique Ansel’s world-famous cross between a croissant and a doughnut, aka the Cronut ™. Nonetheless, it is an amazingly delicious mash-up. Here's why...

My Blueberry Blondies have...

(A.) The cozy familiarity of a blueberry muffin, but with...

(B.) Delicious caramel and butterscotch background notes (from the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla), and a...

(C.) Slightly chewy texture and crusty top reminiscent of a true blondie, even more so after they've cooled completely. They're also...

HEALTHIFIED! (Well, somewhat, anyway.)

An 8-inch square pan of blondies would typically call for 1 whole stick (8 T.) of butter. I’m using only 3 T. butter and including plenty of blueberries, a superfood that offers nutrition and fiber. I also use mostly brown sugar, which has a tad more nutrition value than white.


Once strained, Norwegian Egg Coffee
produces a very pretty (and smooth!)
amber-colored beverage. The egg
proteins are what make the magic, as they
do in today's recipe for Blueberry Blondies.
To see my recipe for Norwegian
Egg Coffee, click here.
The key to maintaining the chewy texture with less butter is the astringent ingredient (in this case vinegar, but you could also use lemon juice). It interacts with the proteins in the incredible, edible egg (a baker's trick that's been around for years). 

To see more egg-protein magic of the culinary variety, click here, and read my post about Norwegian Egg Coffee. The egg helps clarify the brew, and a Norwegian chemist explains it all for us.

May you eat with joy and (slightly) less guilt. 

~ Cleo





Billionaire Blondies? Yes!


Cleo Coyle has a partner in
crime-writing—her husband.
Learn about their books
by clicking here and here.
A delicious, low-fat cross between a butterscotch blondie and a blueberry muffin, these Blueberry Blondies are a bonus recipe from one of our most popular Coffeehouse Mysteries, Billionaire Blend, in which Clare, our coffeehouse manager and amateur sleuth, saves the life of a high-tech billionaire who hires her to create the most expensive coffee blend on the planet. A dream come true? Maybe not...


Billionaire Blend:
A Coffeehouse Mystery
by Cleo Coyle
As Clare is pulled deeper into Eric Thorner's world, a mesmerizing circle of cutting-edge luxuries and cutthroat rivalries, she begins to wonder: Is this charming CEO marked for termination? Or is he the one making a killing? 

To solve this case, Clare will have to bribe a bomb squad lieutenant; conjure up a menu for a "billionaire's potluck"; fix her daughter's love life; stop a Slayer while working with one; and stay alive while doing it.

To see more of the recipes featured in this (our 13th) culinary mystery from our long-running series, click hereAnd enjoy today's bonus recipe, which can be made with fresh or frozen blueberries, so you can eat with blueberry joy all year round...




To download this 
recipe in a free PDF 
document that you can 
print, save, or share, 
Click here for the
Free Recipe PDF


Cleo Coyle's Blueberry Blondies


Makes one 8-inch square pan of blondies 
(In my photo, you see 16 squares)


INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (Do not omit! The vinegar
   interacts with the eggs to create the proper texture.)


1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup white, granulated sugar 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest (grated rind of a lemon,
   yellow only, no bitter white pith)

1/4 teaspoon table salt (+ a generous pinch)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled a bit 

1/8 teaspoon baking soda 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries 



DIRECTIONS: 

Step 1 - Prep oven and pan: Preheat oven to 325° F. Because this is a relatively low fat recipe and blueberries secrete juice as they bake, the best way to prevent sticking is to create a parchment paper sling for your 8-inch square pan (see my photo).




Step 2 – One bowl mixing method: Into a large mixing bowl, break 2 eggs, add the cider vinegar, and whisk well. Add the brown and white sugars, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and salt. Whisk until well blended. Add the melted (and cooled!) butter and the baking soda. Whisk again until smooth. Now add the flour and switch to a spoon or spatula, stirring well. (Do not over-mix at this point.) Gently fold in the blueberries, trying not to smash or crush them.

Step 3 – Bake: Transfer batter to the prepared baking pan and bake in your well pre-heated 325° F oven for 30 to 40 minutes (exact time depends on your oven). The low temperature and long cooking time helps with even baking. The pan of blondies is done when the top is deep golden brown and firmly set. The slight cracking that you see in my photos (the kind you usually find on the top surface of a brownie or blondie) will appear when the blondies are cooled and cut. 

Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before gently lifting by the parchment paper handles. Cut into 16 small squares and...eat with joy!

  
  F o o d i e  
Photos


Adding melted (and cooled)
butter to the batter.



Batter is thick but loose enough to pour.
Be sure to even it out in the pan.














☕ ☕ ☕




Eat (and read) with joy! 

~ Cleo Coyle

New York Times bestselling author of
The Coffeehouse Mysteries 


Alice and Marc in Central Park. 
Together we write as Cleo Coyle. 

Learn more about us here.
Friend us on facebook here.
Follow us on twitter here.
Visit our online coffeehouse here.


☕ ☕ ☕


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READY FOR WHAT? 

Find out by watching our fun,
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or view it on Facebook



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Our new Coffeehouse Mystery 
is now a bestselling hardcover! 

Top 10 Best Mysteries 
for Book Clubs 2017

A "Most Wanted"
Mystery Guild Selection


To buy now, click links for... 


🍴

This culinary mystery includes
more than 25 delicious recipes!
To get the Free Recipe Guide, 

CLICK HERE.



☕  ☕  ☕


The Coffeehouse Mysteries are bestselling
works of amateur sleuth fiction set in a landmark
Greenwich Village coffeehouse, and each of the
16 titles includes the added bonus of recipes. 


GET A FREE TITLE CHECKLIST
OF BOOKS IN ORDER


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for every title and news on
 Cleo's next release!


🔎 🔎 🔎




Marc and I also write
The Haunted Bookshop Mysteries

To get a free title checklist, 
with mini plot summaries, 








To learn more about the 
books and meet Jack Shepard, 
our PI ghost...




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23 comments:

  1. These sounded yummy in the book, but reading a bit about the science behind them really makes me want to bake up a batch!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Wendy, they're a great coffee break (or tea break) nosh. It was fun experimenting on the texture with various ingredients--lots of taste testing, I can tell you. Gladly, Marc didn't mind, and I hope you enjoy the final version, too.

      ~ Cleo
      Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter

      Delete
  2. I agree with Wendy, after reading your explanation I wanted to try them too. I love Blondies much more than Brownies, and with added blueberries.....YUM!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Sharon - I have to say I love them all, brownies, blondies, blueberries (...maybe a little too much :)). But after Chef Ansel's worldwide success with the Cronut, I think a lot of pastry chefs are experimenting with mash-ups and match ups of interesting ingredients. I hope you enjoy my version of this one!

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  3. Me too Sharon, blondies more than brownies, especially with my favorite fruit! Cleo, your photos are always so gorgeous....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll take brownies, blondies, any "ies" in the food group of Pastries. :) Thanks for dropping in today, Lucy. Have a great week...

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter

      Delete
  4. As they say in Maine (in honor of the blueberries)
    Wicked Good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ooooh, Libby, Maine blueberries *will* be wicked good in this recipe come summer. You can bet I'll keep it handy for what I hope will be a bumper crop. Cheers and, as always, it's a pleasure to see you in our Kitchen!

      ~ Cleo Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  5. Cleo, you could also call them "bloomies." These look luscious, and your photos are fabulous! Yet another recipe to add to my collection . . .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bloomies -- Blue-berry + Blondie + whimsical spelling. I love it, Linda, thank you! And I hope you enjoy the recipe, no matter what you call it. :)

      ~ Cleo Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  6. MMMMmmm... lovely. What an inspired combination!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fascinating about the vinegar and the egg. I have to try! It's also clever of you to use blueberries instead of the traditional chocolate chip. Bet they're delicious!

    ~Krista

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks, Krista, there was plenty of taste-testing going on at chez Coyle, I can tell you (and so can Marc)! But I think this version works the best as a Blondie crossed with a Blueberry Muffin. They’re a nice coffee (or tea) break treat and they work for breakfast, too, a fun change-up for blueberry muffin and blondie lovers.

    ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

    ReplyDelete
  9. Will be making these blueberry Blondies tomorrow as I bought the blueberries today so I am ready. I just finished Billionaire Blend this morning and it was FANTASTIC, my favorite of the series so far. I say that each time though, don't I? Great book, review coming, and a good recipe to cut out a little butter. Thanks so much for everything. The box came the other day, and I didn't get a chance to write yet, sorry. Thanks so much Cleo.
    Hugs,
    Cynthia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cynthia - Sounds like you're all set to make the Blueberry Blondies...even better, you know why they're called "Billioniare" Blueberry Blondies!

      I'm thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our latest culinary mystery. Marc and I had a grand time coming up with the twists and turns in BILLIONAIRE BLEND, and we're always happy to hear good words from folks on the other end of the writing process. Thanks for dropping by today...

      May you New Year be one of good food and good reading!

      ~ Cleo
      Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”

      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  10. Wow! Mouthwatering. I can taste them - probably won't be able to sleep now.

    Thanks, Cleo, for another winner.

    XO

    MJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, MJ, that's what comes of reading food blogs before bedtime. But there is an upside...

      I hope you dreamed of blueberries!

      ~ Cleo
      Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter

      Delete
  11. We need to mount a campaign to get Cleo on Good Morning America..she would give Bobbie flay a run for his money!! I did'nt have any blueberries left from Summer..BUT..I did have balckberries.....done and done!!! a lot of old cake recipes have vinegar in them...for that very reason....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SueAnn, you made my day. I’m a Bobby Flay and GMA fan, but I’m no TV personality. I’ll stick to my bookish endeavors—and, of course, blogging fun recipes for nice folks like you. On the vinegar-egg trick, it really does work in this recipe to help cut the butter. It’s not the solution for every recipe, and it’s not always the reason vinegar is present in pastry recipes--but it’s worth experimenting on recipes you may already enjoy. Cheers to you and thanks again…

      ~ Cleo
      Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  12. Cleo, these look fabulous. I love the way you put the parchment paper over the pan. I never thought of flapping it over the sides. Bet that keeps the edges from getting too tough. Nice!

    Daryl / Avery

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's very true, Daryl/Avery! The parchment paper does help with even baking--as does the low temp. and longer cooking time. I also like the "handles" of the sling so I can easily lift the entire pan of blondies from the pan and cut relatively even squares. I never succeed on cutting perfect squares, never! But having them on a cutting board is a big help.

      Thanks for dropping by the Kitchen today...have a great week!

      ~ Cleo
      Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  13. Just made these and they are great! I added chocolate chips to the recipe. Hubby and I really love them! Thanks for the recipe and great books!

    ReplyDelete