Subscribe to Baking Cakes Galore - don't miss a recipe

Sunday 28 June 2009

Brown Sugar How Come You Taste So Good?

Those words “brown sugar”, reminds me of the Rolling Stones song, brown sugar how come you taste so good? I remember this song being played as a child on the radio and my father would say, “what’s that racket you’ve got on, turn it down”, * giggle*. Oh well, less of memories and onto what is most important, today’s bake!

I brought a terrific baking book this weekend called, Bars & Squares more than 200 recipes by Jill Snider. It is jammed packed with gorgeous recipes such as, apple blondies with brown sugar frosting, toffee brownies, party pink coconut squares, apricot almond bars, peanut butter candy bars, to name but a few that caught my attention. I was in quite a dilemma of what to bake first if I‘m honest here. I think what made my mind up was, I had a couple of granny smith apples and a few walnuts that needed using up. *I thought you would love these blondies too*.

These bars are brilliant with a cake-like interior and speckles of soft chunks of apple and that little bite of chopped walnuts with cinnamon flavour shining through. The frosting is scrumptious and sweet, which finishes off the all round flavour of these bars. However, the frosting is very sweet and should you wish to omit this, the blondies would taste great on their own.



Apple Blondies with Brown Sugar Frosting
Adapted from Bars & Squares more than 200 recipes by Jill Snider

Ingredients

Blondies
2/3 cup softened butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose (plain) flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped peeled apples
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Brown Sugar Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 milk or cream
2 cups of confectioner’s (icing) sugar

You will need a 9in x 13 in (23cm x 33cm) baking tin lined and greased with foil.


Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Blondies

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and leave aside until later.

In a large bowl, add the butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and beat until smooth and thick. Fold in the flour mixture gently then fold through the chopped apples, cinnamon and nuts. Place the mixture into the prepared tin, spread evenly, and smooth the top with a spatula or back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes until set and golden. Place on a wire rack to cool completely in the tin.

Brown Sugar Frosting

In a small pan over a low heat and stirring with a wooden spoon, melt the butter, brown sugar and milk. Bring the mixture to just boiling then remove from the heat to cool until lukewarm. Stir in the confectioner’s (icing) sugar mixing with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth. Spread evenly over the cold Blondies. Let the frosting set until firm before slicing into squares or bars of your chosen size.

Lastly, sit back and fill your boots with a slice of the apple blondies with brown sugar frosting, while playing in the background, brown sugar how come you taste so good?




On a last note, I have been avidly watching Wimbledon tennis on television especially Andy Murray matches, and I must apologise for my lack of blogging this last week.

50 comments:

Gloria Baker said...

Rosie, these look awesome as always! I love brown sugar too!!
really nice recipe. huggs!!! Gloria

Gloria Baker said...

Rosie, I love brown sugar Frosting recipe, is really nice to this and others treats!! gloria

Reeni said...

These look heavenly with apples and brown sugar frosting! I have a really bad sweet tooth and these would be perfect. The book sounds really great!

Rose said...

Yum yum yum. Isnt brown sugar fabulous! They look like a delicious sugary treat...I would certainly only make these if i had lots of people to share with!

Also, I nominated you for an award on my blog :)

Rose

Anonymous said...

What a fantastic feast for eyes Rosie..Yeah,brown sugar is divine I agree too..Great recipe.Thanks dear !!

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Those Blondies look gorgeous and must be extremely scrumptious! I love the unique flavor of brown sugar...

Cheers,

Rosa

Coleens Recipes said...

I've never even heard of apple blondies before, this sounds great! Thanks for sharing.

Cynthia said...

When I get back to the Caribbean I should send you a packet of Caribbean brown sugar. You would love it.

The Caked Crusader said...

I love that deep toffee flavour that brown sugar adds to baking - your slices look lovely

Mary said...

It's the first itme i'm hearing of this recipe, the pic looks so good and inviting !

Katiecakes said...

Oh wow, they look mouth watering! Apple blondies sounds fantastic.

Katie xox

Anonymous said...

Oooh, but they look gooooood.

I love working with brown sugar too and I often substitute it in for Caster sugar if I think I can get away with it!

Promising 1st recipe from your new book eh? So glad it was a success as you never know what you're going to get with virgin recipes do you? I made something new this weekend and it went totally wrong, LOL.

Donna-FFW said...

Holy cow!! These look absolutely fantastic. I said in my head, I have got to try these, printing ..

Liz said...

Wow!I love blondies and apples, this is a perfect match, I have to try it! Thanks fo the recipe. Liz

Nadji said...

I love blondies and apples.
Thank you for this recipe.

sunita said...

What gorgeous blondies, Rosie.

As for Andy, he's carrying a big burden on his shoulders.

Anonymous said...

YUM! Apple blondies sound delicious on their own and then you go and add a brown sugar frosting. Wow!

Anonymous said...

oh my these look amazing! i am so goin to make these!

Anonymous said...

Right up my alley! Great recipe, I'm making these on Thursday for when the husband gets home from out of town work!

How To Eat A Cupcake said...

Ooohhh Mmmm!! They look so yummy! I bet they'd be great with a boiled flour frosting with brown sugar instead of white sugar for a less-sweet version! :D

Jenn@slim-shoppin said...

I love brown sugar in baked goods!! So rich!

I love these bars. I'll have to check out that cook book. Thanks for posting the recipe!

James said...

Apples walnuts and cinnamon - a marriage made in heaven. Nice icing too - have been looking for something like that. We were in mass cake production last week. Made a lemon drizzle for first time, and fairy cakes for the first time in 20 years. I Should really do more cake making.

Cakespy said...

Oh my goodness, these bars look so supremely and deliciously decadent...I wish I had one right now!

♥Rosie♥ said...

Ahh thanks ‘dear’ Gloria hugshugs xoxox

Hi Reeni, thanks sweetie!! The brown sugar icing is very sweet as I mentioned so it would need a sweet tooth to eat these *giggle* like me too :0)

Rose yes I fully agree it does require a few hands and mouths to eat these :0)

My pleasure Ann – enjoy :0)

Thanks Rosa :0)

Hi Colleen, if you make these as I said in my post the brown sugar icing is sweet

Oh Cynthia, I bet the Caribbean brown sugar has a taste of its own – divine!!

Thank you Mary :0)

Thanks so much katiecakes :0)

Hi Wonk, yes using a recipe for the first time from a book can be hit or miss I agree, everything turned out well but hubby fond the icing a tad too sweet for his pallet

Donna-FFW – I hope you enjoy them :0)

Thanks sunita. Oh I agree Andy has a lot on his shoulders this year but whatever the outcome we’ll still be proud of him :0)

Thanks pinkstripes, dessertobsessed – I hope you enjoy them :0)

It’s a pleasure Liz and Saveurs et Gourmandises and HannahBanana aka Amanda lovely to *see* you all here and a warm welcome to B.C.G.

How To Eat A Cupcake, oh I bet – you’re so clever this would cut down on the sweetness!!

Hi Jenn@slim-shoppin lovely to *see* you here and a warm welcome to B.C.G. oh yes so true they are very rich.

Hi James, lemon drizzle cake is one of my ultimate favourite cakes – simple but oh so good!! Oh I just adore baking fairy cakes and icing them and topping off with sprinkles. You’ll be getting the bug for baking ;0)

Hi Cakespy that the word for these bars decadent lol here you go passing one over to you ;0)

Best wishes Rosie xoxox

The Blonde Duck said...

Oh my God. I must make these. And I have no one to feed them too! Everyone here is on diets! It's KILLING MEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

So when can I come over? :) I'll cook you Mexican food for some of this tasty treat...

Cakelaw said...

Yum Rosie! Apple and brown sugar is a delish combination. Glad to hear you've been enjoying the tennis. Now where's my Pimms and lemonade ...

Foodiewife said...

My knees are buckling. Spice cake is my #1 favorite treat, and I see a lot of components. Yes, brown sugar rocks! Love it! I'm so trying not to bake, lest I eat it all...this just might be my undoing!

Donna said...

GEEZ ROSIE!!Hahaa...These look Wonderful!! Thanks for your Sweet comment on my blog about Crystal's birthday!!!(((HUG)))

Sweet Treats by Dani said...

brown sugar is one of my favourite ingredeitns - i use it in almost every recipe :) this looks like a fantastic way to use it :):):):):)

Deborah said...

I am in love with brown sugar, and I'm pretty sure I could eat a whole batch of these myself!

Simones Kitchen said...

These look amazing Rosie and as it happens, I - for some strange reason - have three packs of brown sugar stashed in my cupboard which I bought by mistake, so this might be a good solution to get rid of some!

♥Rosie♥ said...

Hi Duckie, you are on , I adore Mexican food and I’ll bake up a storm of sweet treats for you – that’s a promise :0)

Hi Cakelaw, I just love watching the tennis and last night Andy was playing until near 11pm with the new roof and lights now at centre court. Now let’s throw a party and have pimms and lemonade with strawberries and cream ;0)

Hi F.F.YT.E. , lol - tell me about it – I like to taste a little of the batter, then a little nibble of the baked good, but I try to be good and let hubby take the bakes to work for him and his co-workers ;0)

Hi Donna, oh that was such a touching post and your love shines through from the heart!! Happy Birthday Crystal!!!!!! Hugshugs xoxoxox

Ahhh thanks Dani and I have to say I L-O-V-E brown sugar too ;0)

Teehee Debs, they are quite addictive, so I packed hubby up with the bars and sent them with him to share with his co-workers. ;0)

Oooooooh Simone, you go girl and bake up a storm ;0)

Many thanks my dear friends for calling by – you always put a smile on my face– you really rock guys !!! Rosie xx

The Girl said...

Oooh these look amazing. That frosting especially. Argh got such a sweet craving now and that doesn't happen with me too often.

Heather said...

What lovely bars! I'm not sure which one I would eat first - they both look so good.

♥Rosie♥ said...

Hi T.G. thanks, you're so kind. *giggle* now the icing is very-very sweet one for that moment in time when you require a great sugar hit ;0)

Hi Heather, hahahaha... you try them all I would say if I was serving afternoon tea to you. I gain as much pleasure watching folks enjoy my bakes as much as baking!

Many thanks for calling by as always great to *see* you at B.C.G. Rosie xx

grace said...

yes, the bars look great--i'm always a fan of apple desserts--but my stars, rosie! that frosting looks luscious and just downright sensational. i'd make myself sick off of that stuff, no doubt. :)

Donna Gotlib said...

This looks wonderful. Now I am very hungry, and I want to bake.

Sara said...

Brown sugar is the best! I actually prefer frosting to cake, so I love the sound of these.

Uma said...

looks so tempting!! Yum :)

Nic said...

The frosting is brilliant, brown sugar is the business!!

Faery said...

Mouth watering blondies and I never thought brown sugar would make a delicious frosting, this one here looks so, so delicious that to be honest my mouth is full of water I'll have to try it.
Your memories are good and importan, now I know you like the Rolling Stones :)

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Oh, boy these look and sound amazing, Rosie! You know I LOVE me some blondies! Adding brown sugar frosting just takes 'em right over the edge of yum!
~ingrid

Bunny said...

You just hit my soft spot Rosie! I adore apples!! This looks fantastic! Bookmarking!

♥Rosie♥ said...

Hi Grace, it sure is a killer that brown sugar frosting teehee....

Hi Donna, a warm welcome to my little blog and it really is so nice to *meet* you :0) Oh yes lets rustle those pots and pans and do some baking =heaven!

Hi Sara, I have to admit I’m also a sucker for the frostings on cakes :09

Ahhhh thanks Uma you are so sweet :0)

Hi Nic, oh yes true brown sugar is the king ;0)

Hi Faery, teehee oh yes I do like the Stones song, brown sugar how come you taste so good? I hope you enjoy baking these bars as much as I did – enjoy sweetie ;0)

Hi Ingrid, the blondies would be delish on their own but the frosting finishes of the bar a treat :0)

Enjoy Bunny and thanks for your kind words :0)

It’s always so nice to *see* you my dear friends and thanks for your very kind words! Rosie x

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home said...

Hi Rosie. Thanks for all your lovely comments. Great recipe here. It looks very sweet!

Justin said...

this looks really good. i'll take a bowl of the frosting, please.

♥Rosie♥ said...

Hi Jerri - it is always my pleasure to visit you :0)

Hi Justin, a warm welcome to B.C.G. it is lovely to *meet* you :0) of course no worries I'll pass you a bowl over *giggle*

Best wishes Rosie x

Maria♥ said...

Oh wow so you finally bought the book, it's great isn't it? These Apple Blondies were the first thing I baked from the book too and they were wonderful! Yours look great Rosie.

Maria
x

♥Rosie♥ said...

Awe thanks Maria and yes only just got around to buying this book and I love it :0) Rosie x

The Wandering Pit said...

Hi Rosie! Thanks for your comments-they´re much appreciated!These look awesome as do all your cakes! I´ve been meaning to bake blondie brownies and your apple version sound even more delicious!