APPLE HAZELNUT BLONDIES

APPLE HAZELNUT BLONDIES image

Number Of Ingredients 16

Blondies
1 cup hazelnuts
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 chopped, peeled and cored Fuji apples (about 2 cups)
Maple Icing
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3/4 cup vanilla extract

Steps:

Blondies 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees . Coat a 12-cavity brownie pan (such as Wilton Brownie Bar Pan) with nonstick cooking spray. 2. Place nuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool slightly and rub nuts with fingers to remove skin. Chop nuts and reserve. 3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine sugars, butter, eggs and vanilla. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; stir into sugar-and-butter mixture until dry ingredients are just moistened. Fold in apples and 3/4 cup of the chopped nuts. 4. Spoon batter into prepared brownie pan, about 1/3 cup into each cavity. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes; turn out onto rack to cool completely. Maple Icing 5. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar; add maple syrup and vanilla and beat until smooth. 6. Frost each blondie with a generous 2 tbsp of icing. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts.