There’s something about the first stretch of cooler fall weather that makes turning on the oven sound like a good idea again.
After plenty of warm September days, Spartanburg is finally getting a little taste of cooler weather next week. And if there’s ever a season for warm desserts, apples, cinnamon and entirely too much caramel, this is it.
Caramel is one of those flavors that just seems made for fall, and around Spartanburg, we’ve got plenty of ways to satisfy that craving without baking a thing.
The famous 7-Layer Caramel Cake from Caroline’s Cakes is always an obvious choice. The Spartanburg bakery’s signature cake pairs layers of yellow cake with rich caramel icing, and it’s the dessert that started the Caroline’s Cakes story.
Then there’s the seasonal Apple Dumpling from Bruster’s Real Ice Cream. It’s served warm with cinnamon ice cream and warm cinnamon sauce, which is about as close as you can get to fall in dessert form.
Downtown, Anne’s Sundae at Lucy Anne’s combines butter pecan gelato with bourbon caramel candied goodness. And Cribb’s Kitchen has its housemade apple cobbler when you’re craving one of those classic warm apple desserts.
But sometimes the best fall dessert is the one coming straight out of your own oven.
These Brown Butter Caramel Apple Blondies combine some of the season’s best flavors in one pan. Browning the butter gives the blondies a deeper, slightly nutty flavor, while fresh apples, cinnamon and caramel make every bite taste like fall.
They’re delicious at room temperature, but I think this recipe really shines when the blondies are still slightly warm. Add a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream and drizzle warm caramel sauce over everything. The ice cream starts to melt into the blondie, the caramel gets into all the little cracks, and suddenly a simple pan of blondies feels like a full-on fall dessert.
Brown Butter Caramel Apple Blondies
Makes 12-16 blondies
Ingredients:
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced apples, about 2 medium apples
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce, plus more for serving
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving
• Flaky sea salt, optional
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, as the butter begins to foam. Watch it closely until the milk solids turn golden brown and the butter smells rich and nutty. Remove it from the heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
3. Whisk the brown sugar into the browned butter. Add the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture just until combined. Fold in the diced apples.
5. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Drizzle about 1/2 cup of caramel sauce over the top and use a knife to gently swirl the caramel through the batter.
6. Bake for 28-35 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Don’t overbake them. Part of what makes these so good is that soft, chewy center.
7. Let the blondies cool for about 15 minutes before cutting.
8. Then comes the important part: Serve one while it’s still warm, add a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle warm caramel sauce over the top. If you love the salty-sweet combination, finish it with a small sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
After months of trying to keep the kitchen cool, I’m more than ready for recipes like this again. A warm apple blondie, melting vanilla ice cream, plenty of caramel and a slightly cooler Spartanburg evening sounds like a pretty good way to welcome fall.
Have a recipe worth sharing? The Cook’s Corner welcomes submissions from home cooks, local residents, chefs, and restaurants throughout our community. Selected contributors may be contacted for a brief interview so we can share the story behind the dish. To submit a recipe or inquire about a collaboration, email the kitchencorrespondent87@gmail.com.
