Butterscotch Babies

Every once in a while, it’s nice to take a step out of the brownie box.  Technically, I suppose these qualify as a blondie, but for some reason, that term has always bugged me.  I don’t really remember where this recipe came from, but I seem to remember cleaning out the panty and finding a surfeit of butterscotch chips (probably from Apple Pie Bars) and improvising these babies to use up the overflow.  Whatever the case, it worked and these are now a pretty standard treat for me – easy to whip up and different from the standard chocolate.  You could add a cup of chopped nuts to these, but I personally prefer them without.  I call them babies because they are rich, so I cut them into small pieces. But feel free to cut big slabs.

Butterscotch Babies

1 (11-ounce) package butterscotch morsels

½ cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

4 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking pan or line with non-stick foil.

Place the butterscotch morsels and the butter, cut into chunks, in a large microwave safe glass bowl and microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes.  Stir the mixture until smooth and incorporated.  Microwave at 10 second intervals if necessary for the morsels to melt, stirring after each blast.  It’s okay if the mixture looks a little granular.  Stir in the brown sugar, breaking up any lumps.  Leave to cool for at least five minutes.  The mixture may separate, but that’s fine, just stir it back together.  When the mixture has cooled off, add the eggs and blend well with a fork until incorporated and the mixture has loosened up.  Add one cup of the flour, the baking powder and salt and stir to incorporate.  Add the remaining cup of flour and stir until everything is well incorporated.  You’ll use a little elbow grease. Stir in the vanilla.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until golden brown and a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool in the pan, then cut into small squares.

Makes around 60 small bites