Chocolate Chip Blondies

Robert sent this recipe for blondies along with the previous post's banana bread recipe, and I kind of wish that you could e-mail baked goods, because as I read his email, and looked at the photos he sent along with my cravings grew exponentially. And now, for your enjoyment:

'Yeah... Not sure why, but butterscotch-type things sound good to me in the fall. And I have no idea why I've been in a muffin shaped mood this week either. Here is a Williams-Sonoma recipe, with a few comments and tweaks (and photos) by me.'

-Robert

Blondies with Easter Chocolate Chips
original recipe

A cross between a chocolate chip cookie and a brownie, blondes and thought to have evolved from butterscotch confections and gingerbread. One of the first known recipes for blondes appeared in an 1896 cookbook.

Ingredients:

• 16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature (I use margarine)
• 1 3/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar (light brown sugar also works, but the flavor is richer with dark brown)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 salt
• 12 oz Easter chocolate chips* (I doubt these even exist anymore - I use 2 cups of "normal" semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. (Alternately, this recipe will make about 18 muffins).
2. In a food processor, combine butter, brown sugar and vanilla until well combined, about 1 minute, stopping to occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, and pulse for 2 seconds after each addition.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder and slat in directly onto the butter mixture and pulse 10 times, 2 seconds per pulse.
5. Transfer the batter to a bowl and fold int eh chocolate chips.
**I use my Kitchen Aid Mixer for this recipe. I cream the butter, sugar and vanilla at high speed, add the eggs all at once, and then use the "Stir" setting to mix in the dry ingredients. Yes, this includes the chocolate chips.

6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until the blondes are golden brown and the edges are firm to the touch, 30-35 minutes. If making muffins, these will take 20-25 minutes.
7. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour, and then cut into bars. Makes about 20 blondies.
Note: the blondies can be baked in two 9 inch square pans as well. Bake these for 20-25 minutes.