Toffee Hazelnut Blondies + My First Giveaway!
GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. WINNER WILL BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY.
I began a tradition when my ex and I separated early this year where every weekend I had my kids we would bake; cookies, cake, breads, anything at all as long as it was sweet and delicious. This was a conscious decision on my part to provide all three of us with a way to heal and bond and to establish a touchstone for our newly restructured family unit.
Coming into the holidays with so much emphasis on cooking and baking, I wanted to make something extra special this year with my kiddos. A treat that could become THE family recipe that my kids ask for when they have their own kids.
I knew I needed professional help, so I reached out to a fabulous baker and fellow Mama that I know right here in the Seattle area – Jessica Brockway of Page Bakery.
I met Jessica at an industry event last year, and I was immediately smitten with her cool girl vibe, her perfect bold lip and her ridiculously good mini bundt cakes.
Jessica makes the kind of goodies that look gorgeous and taste even better. She’s got major talent and even scored a finalist spot on a Food Network special, so you can take my word for it that this dessert is going to be on point.
Just a few of the many offerings at Page Bakery
Jessica and I chatted about my main criteria: must be family friendly, fun to create with littles and bigs alike and have a bit of a twist to keep it interesting.
My dear readers - Jessica delivered in a major way. This is the baked good of my dreams, and I’m betting it’ll be in your rotation for years to come as well.
Allow me to introduce the ‘Toffee Hazelnut Blondie’. One part rich buttery blondie studded with chocolate chunks and toffee bits, one part velvety gooey icing goodness, plus, chopped hazelnuts sprinkled on top for texture. This is the dessert bar you can enjoy at home during the holidays with your pod or spread the love and gift it to your favorite people.
If you’re not a baker and no amount of flowery words or mouthwatering photos will inspire you to become one, then you’re in luck! If you’re a Seattle area resident, you can order these tasty treats (and other delightful baked goods) directly from Page Bakery and mention the code MERRIER10 for 10% off your order. Even better? Jessica delivers directly to your door, so you can stay snuggled in your holiday loungewear while you check off your gift and holiday baking lists.
What could be better than a promo code? – a GIVEAWAY of course! I am giving away one Holiday Dessert Trio which includes: 3 Toffee Hazelnut Blondies, 3 Molasses Cookie Sandwiches and 3 Berry Crumble Bars.
Here’s how to enter:
1) Be a Seattle area resident (sorry out of towners!)
2) Leave a comment in the comments section with whom you’d want to share this deliciousness with
3) Bonus entry – hop on over to Instagram and follow @moreandmerrierlife and @pagebakery and comment with someone you would share it with or wish you could share it with
4) One name will be drawn at random on Monday December 14, 2020 at 9pm and the winner will be contacted directly
And now for the main event – here’s the recipe you’ll want to save to your computer, forward to your friends and print out and tape to your fridge. Happy holidays everyone!
Toffee Hazelnut Blondies
Ingredients
- 2 C all-purpose flour
- 1 C salted butter at room temp
- 1 C dark chocolate chunks
- 1 C dark brown sugar
- 1/2 C granulated sugar
- 1/2 C toffee bits
- 1 t baking powder
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 2 eggs at room temp
- 8 oz cream cheese at room temp
- 2 C powdered sugar
- 1/4 C cocoa powder
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 1/2 t salt
- 1 C dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 C rough chopped hazelnuts
- 1/4 C heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cream room temp butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla and salt until fluffy. Fold in chocolate chunks and toffee bits.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking soda.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until fully incorporated.
- Pour batter into an 8 x 11 baking dish prepared with parchment paper hanging just slightly over the rim.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until slightly firm but still soft in the middle.
- Using a stand mixer, or electric mixer, whip your cream cheese until you reach a smooth consistency without any lumps. Add cocoa powder, vanilla and salt and blend until well incorporated. Add powdered sugar and mix until the icing is thickened.Spread icing over the cooled blondie.
- For the ganache drizzle, microwave the chocolate chips and heavy cream on 80% power for one minute then add 30 second increments until the chips are completely melted. Add the ganache to a piping bag or a sandwich bag with the corner cut off and drizzle as you see fit. For the finishing touch, sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over the top.
