Butterscotch Blondie Bars with Peanut-Pretzel Caramel

Barley adapted from Bon Appetit.

Blondie

1 ½ cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¾ cup, (1 ½ sticks), unsalted butter

2 cups dark brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a lip.

2. Brown the butter over medium heat by melting the butter and bringing it to a bowl. As soon as the solids begin to brown, remove from heat and transfer to a large metal bowl and let cool for five minutes. Stir in the sugar and incorporate. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Spread the blondie batter in the prepared pan, spreading until even. Bake the blondie until golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Let cool completely, in the pan.

Peanut-pretzel caramel

4 cups roasted, salted peanuts

2 cups white sugar

¼ cup honey

¼ cup, (½ stick), unsalted butter

½ cup heavy cream

1 ½ cups thin twisted pretzels, roughly chopped

1.  Bring the two cups of white sugar and ½ cup water to a boil in a large saucepan. Boil, swirling the pan, until the sugar becomes dark amber in color, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, being extremely careful of steam because the sugar mixture is very hot. Add the honey and whisk until smooth, returning to the heat if needed. Add the heavy cream, whisking until smooth. Stir in the peanuts and chopped pretzels. Spread the caramel over the blondies. Chill the bars until cooled, about 30 minutes in the refrigerator, before cutting.

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