CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLED BLONDIE BARS

Filed under Desserts
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray the bottom of a 10 by 15-inch jelly roll size pan with cooking spray or lightly coat with butter. Line the pan with wax paper and then butter and lightly flour the paper and sides of the pan.  Whisk together the flour and salt in a small bowl. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Stir in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating just until well blended.  Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until a wooden toothpick comes out clean but not dry; do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bring the cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Place the finely chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the finely chopped chocolate and stir gently to combine until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Let the ganache stand at room temp for 20-30 minutes to set. It should be spreadable but not runny.

Invert the blondies carefully onto a large cutting board. Cut the cake crosswise in half with a long serrated knife (just like you would cut a sandwich in half to share with someone – NOT like you would cut a cake into two layers, the bars are too thin for that). You should have 2 smaller rectangles. Spread the ganache evenly on one half of the blondies to within 1/8 inch of the edges. Carefully set the other half on the top, matching the cut edges. Cover and refrigerate until the ganache is set, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.  Before serving, trim the uncut edges from the bars. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Let's Dish
They're filled with ganache.  What else do I need to say?  And they're fairly easy to make, as long as you're patient, and you do all of the greasing and flouring the directions suggest.  I know it's hard to wait, but if you try and remove the bars from the pan before they're really, really cool, you'll be sorry.  I've actually put mine in the freezer for 15 minutes or so to make sure they're nice and firm.  And I have had to cut my blondies in half right in the pan, then lift out the halves (very careful) with a spatula.  Once the bars have firmed up in the fridge, I like to bring them to room temperature before serving them.  They just taste better that way.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.