Cardamom + Bay Leaf + Brown Butter + Rum Blondies

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Cardamom + Bay Leaf + Brown Butter + Rum Blondies

These chewy blondies are ladened with nutty brown butter notes, toasty sugary hints of rum, hints of floral bay leaf and imbued with both green and black cardamom pods. If you are not familiar with black cardamom, it is the larger, more savory relative of the green cardamom. Black cardamom lends a subtle smoky, camphor like tone to these blondies while the green cardamom adds warm citrusy, peppery flavors. The marriage of these ingredients leaves you with a flavor packed dessert that is unlike any blondie you’ve ever had! Perfectly chewy and so easy to whip up!

Thanks to the addition of bread flour, these blondies are ultra chewy and rich in texture.

Cardamom + Bay Leaf + Brown Butter + Rum Blondies

Serving: Makes 16 squares or 32 wedges

Ingredients:

Cardamom & Bay Leaf Infused Brown Butter

  • 2 dried bay leaves

  • 2 green cardamom pods

  • 2 black cardamom pod

  • 9 tablespoons of unsalted butter (128 grams)

Blondie Batter

  • Cardamom & Bay Leaf Infused Brown Butter, see above

  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, (200 grams)

  • 1 large egg (about 50 grams)

  • 1 egg yolk (about 18 grams)

  • 1 teaspoon dark rum

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Seeds from two green cardamom pod

  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour (65 grams)

  • 1/2 cup bread flour (65 grams)

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For Garnish

  • 5-6 dried bay leaves

Method:

To make the Cardamom & Bay Leaf Infused Brown Butter:

  1. Place the butter in a light colored pot over medium heat. Crush the green and black cardamom pods firmly and add it to the butter, add the whole bay leaves as well. Let the mixture melt down until liquid. Once liquid, constantly stir the mixture and scrape the bottom and sides. Keep a watch on the butter for the next 5 to 8 minutes as it starts to sputter, bubble and become warm golden brown. There will be a lot of foam, to check on the color of the butter, pull the pan off the stovetop for a few minutes to let the foam subside. The butter should be nutty golden and have a light cardamom aroma. Filter the browned infused butter through a sieve and discard the bay leaves and cardamom pods. Set aside the filtered butter to cool.

To make the Blondie Batter

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Pour the cooled brown butter into a medium bowl and add the dark brown sugar. Using a rubber spatula, combine the butter and sugar.

  3. Once the butter and dark brown sugar are combined, add the egg and egg yolk, vanilla and dark rum and whisk until well smooth and combined.

  4. Crush two green cardamom pods and pull out the seeds from the pods. Grind the seeds with a mortar and pestle until fine and powdery.

  5. Combine all purpose flour, bread flour, salt, the powdered cardamom seeds and whisk until incorporated.

  6. Add in the flour mixture into the wet mixture and combine till smooth and not flour pockets are left.

  7. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment overhang and pour the blondie batter evenly. Make sure to spread the dough all the way to the edges.

  8. Press the dried bay leaves into the blondie batter as desired and bake for about 20 minutes or until the blondie is set and golden.

  9. Let the blondies cool in the pan for about 10 to 15 minutes or until firm enough to handle and cut them into squares or wedges. Enjoy!