Tuesday, June 28, 2022

BLUEBERRY BLONDIES Recipe by Coffeehouse Mysteries author @CleoCoyle




From Cleo Coyle: With blueberry season upon us, Marc and I are once again baking up this lovely light 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.

When you bite into these amazing treats, you'll taste butterscotch background notes thanks to the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. And though they're more "cakey" than a traditional blondie, once cooled, you will get a slightly chewy texture with a nice, crusty top reminiscent of an actual blondie. Best of all, though, this "blueberry" version has less calories and more nutrition than a regular blondie (more on that below). 


Now let's get our 
Blueberry Blondies on!





Cleo Coyle writes two
bestselling mystery
 series with her husband.
To learn more, click here.

☕ A Recipe Note from Cleo

This recipe first appeared in our 13th Coffeehouse Mystery, Billionaire Blend, in which our amateur sleuth, single mom and coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi, saves the life of a customer who turns out to be a young billionaire. As a thank you, the man hires Clare to create the most exclusive and expensive coffee blend on the planet. She's thrilled...until she can't decide whether her new benefactor is the target of a murderer or trying to make his own killing. 

In the book, Clare serves up these Blueberry Blondies to some very happy customers. And Marc and I are always happy to devour a fresh pan when we bake them up in our own kitchen. Though fresh blueberries are plentiful now, you can make this recipe anytime of year because it works just as well with frozen berries.

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.
As for the "healthified" aspect, here's the scoop. While an 8-inch square pan of blondies typically calls for 1 whole stick (8 T.) of butter, this recipe uses only 3 T. butter and includes plenty of blueberries, a superfood that offers nutrition and fiber. 

Finally, here's a clue to maintaining the chewy texture with less butter. It's the additon of an astringent ingredient (in this case vinegar, but lemon juice will also work). It interacts with the proteins in the incredible, edible egg--a baker's trick that's been around for years. 

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

~ Cleo





To download this recipe in
a free PDF document
that you can print,
save, or share,
click here







Cleo Coyle's 
Blueberry Blondies

Makes one 8-inch square pan of blondies 
(Cut as you like, in my photos, you see 16 small 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 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. 
Batter will be thick but loose enough to pour. Be sure to even it out in the pan. 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 will promote more 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!


New York Times bestselling author
of The Coffeehouse Mysteries and
Haunted Bookshop Mysteries



Cleo (Alice) with her husband Marc

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10 comments:

  1. The cake looks so yummy! And I am also interested in the Norwegian Egg Coffee!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Luna. I hope my Blueberry Blondies recipe brings you joy. Ditto on my post about the Norwegian Egg Coffee. The method has a fascinating history, and it's a great trick for improving the taste of mass produced pre-ground coffee beans. Enjoy and have a lovely summer season!

      ~ Cleo
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      Delete
  2. Oh I can almost taste them! Can't wait to try this recipe. Thank you!
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're very welcome, Kay. Cheers for stopping by the Kitchen!

      Delete
  3. Thanks for the recipe, Cleo. I'm always looking for ways to use less butter and still end up with a delicious snack.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers for stopping by, MaryAnn! Marc and I usually enjoy these Blueberry Blondies on our afternoon coffee breaks, but they also make a nice, light dessert for summer cookouts. They’re great as lunchbox treats and road trip snacks, too. Have a delicious summer season!

      Delete
  4. Sounds like the perfect treat to bake and take to my nephew's tonight. Thanks for the recipe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're very welcome, Mary. Cheers for stopping by, and I hope you and your nephew enjoy the recipe!

      ~ Cleo
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  5. Delicious, as always!
    I'll have to try it as written and then consider a second batch with some chocolate chips added to the mix!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This looks so good and I just happen to have a big bowl of blueberries needing to be used and a 4th of July BBQ to attend. Sounds like a great combination!

    ReplyDelete