Brown butter blondies with salted caramel M&M’s recipe

When I was approached to do a recipe with the new limited edition salted caramel M&M’s I knew I wanted to do a blondie. I haven’t done one on Drizzleanddip before and I knew the salted caramel middles of the M&M’s would work perfectly in the buttery caramel blondie. These get made in one bowl and are super quick and easy to whip up.

I first made the recipe without browning the butter and the texture was a little fluffier and the colour lighter. I also baked them for 30 minutes, which delivered a slightly drier texture. My second test involved adjusting the sugar levels, browning the butter, and baking them for 25 minutes, and just like with chocolate brownies, a gooey and slightly chewy middle is really what you are after.

Browning butter for baking recipes adds a delicious caramel flavous as the milk solids in the butter caramelizes. This is called the Maillard reaction and adds another layer of complex deliciousness and is highly recommended for many things.

I’m somewhat of an M&M fan and whenever I travel I always buy variants we don’t get in South Africa. I’m also mildly obsessed with salted caramel so this flavour got me really excited. What’s not to love about chewy salted caramel enrobed with milk chocolate and then coated in colourful candy? Exciting to know we have a couple of limited edition variants to enjoy over the season. Let me know what you think?

PS: if you cant find salted caramell M&M’s any of your favourite M&M will work too.

M&M’s Salted Caramel limited edition is available for the first time in South Africa from mid-September 2019 at all major retail stores nationwide, while stocks last

Recipe – makes 16 squares

125gms butter (I used salted)
225gms muscovado sugar (or any brown sugar)
1 large free-range egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups / 195gms all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup salted caramel M&M’s plus a few extras for the topping

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F and line a 20cm x 20cm (8×8-inch) baking pan with baking paper.

Heat the butter in a small pot and allow it to bubble and turn golden brown. This will take a few minutes depending on the butter you use. You want the colour to turn a noticeable dark golden brown colour but be careful to not let it burn. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.

Place the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl and use either a sturdy whisk or an electric hand mixer to mix until its well combined.

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and briefly mix with the electric mixer or use a spatula. Fold in the salted caramel M&M’s

Decant the batter into the prepared tin and smooth it out. Press the extra M&M’s into the batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Bake until the blondies are a golden brown colour and the edges start coming away from the sides. The middle could still be a little wobbly.

Allow to cool in the pan before removing the tray by pulling the baking paper out. Cut into 16 squares and serve asap.