Brown Butter Toffee Blondies (with Homemade Toffee!)

It's certainly no secret that I love brown butter, but I'm not sure that I have fully expressed my adoration for the oh-so-simple spin on something so common. There is nothing better than the nutty smell of browning butter on the stove; I love the way the aroma wafts through the house. The only thing better than the smell of brown butter is the taste :P!
These blondies may not look like much, but they are beyond amazing. I know I say that sort of thing a lot, but honestly, I took my first bite of the still slightly warm bar and was in sheer awe... "OH MY GOD!" I exclaimed. "What?!" Mikey questioned sounding somewhat concerned. "This is the best thing I have ever put in my mouth," I answered. And while I'm sure that isn't entirely true, it certainly is in the top 5. And Mikey felt the same way. After his first bite he couldn't speak for at least 10 full seconds and then declared, "These are jaw-dropping."
I'd like to think that my homemade toffee had something to do with how these babies turned out :). Making your own toffee is actually surprisingly simple and far more delectable than the bags of stuff you find on the baking aisle of your local supermarket. I suggest trying your had at making some yourself even if you don't make these incredible blondies. Just spread some melted chocolate over the cooled toffee (skip the part where you break it up) and then sprinkle some chopped nuts on top- pure delight!

Brown Butter Toffee Blondies

recipe slightly adapted from here

ingredients:

• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter + more to grease pan
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup homemade toffee bits (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Cook until it turns golden brown and smells nutty (the butter should foam up and then mostly subside).
3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and toffee. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the sugars and brown butter until combined. Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat for around 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Slowly add in the flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool and then slice and serve!

Homemade Toffee

this will make more than you need for the above recipe but it is a great topper for ice cream, or if you're like me you'll just munch on it :D

ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt

1. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan (I used a dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Cook until the mixture turns a deep golden and the mixture is at about 300 degrees, stirring constantly. If you don't have a candy thermometer just use color to guide you. Basically you want it a bit darker than this: 
3. Pour the mixture onto the lined baking sheet and allow the mixture to cool for about 10 minutes
4. Using a large knife, break up the toffee into very small pieces. Store in tupperware.

Note: When I first took my toffee off of the heat, the butter seemed to separate from the mixture so I put it back on the heat and whisked it for just a minute of two and it became homogenous.