Shindig 411

Wow your guests with this easy, make-ahead dessert recipe,

compliments of Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets.

Happy entertaining!

COCONUT-PECAN BLONDIES

In my world, champagne goes with just about everything. Especially dessert. I love make-ahead desserts so all I have to worry about is pouring the champagne. Lately, I’ve been on a blondie kick thanks to snowy evenings curled up with Lauren Chattman’s “Mom’s Big Book of Baking.” She has a whole chapter on brownies and blondies. Now that’s my kind of fun! This recipe is adapted from a recipe in her book for ginger blondies. My Coconut-Pecan Blondies are rich, moist, chewy and perfectly delicious without the frosting. I’m just a lily-gilding kind of gal. You can find the frosting recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

(Makes 16 blondies)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

½ cup lightly toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter an 8-inch nonstick square baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove it from the heat and stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Whisk in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Stir in the coconut and pecans.
3. Using a spatula, spread the batter into the pan. Bake the blondies until they are just set in the center, 25 to 30 minutes. Let them cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into squares. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Using an electric mixer, beat one 8-ounce package of room-temperature cream cheese and ½ stick of room-temperature unsalted butter until light and fluffy. With mixer on low speed, beat in 1 cup confectioners’ sugar a few tablespoons at a time, scraping down bowl as necessary. Add ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract; increase speed to high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. (You’ll have some left over.) Bring to room temperature before using. Makes about 1½ cups.

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