Brown Butter Bars
We are finally in our apartment in Ridgewood, but we're still unpacking. We got our furniture on Monday, and I finally cooked for the first time in over a week last night! It's definitely been an adventure moving across the country, but it's been worth it.
I made these brown butter jam bars when we were still in Arizona. I was trying to clean out the fridge, and this was perfect because it used a whole lot of butter! I only had grape jelly, but I thought, why not? So I used that instead of jam and the result was fantastic. There aren't the easiest bars to make, as you have to brown over a cup and a half of butter, freeze some of it, etc. but the texture of these bars are out of this world. They're perfectly chewy and the top is flaky and almost crystallized from all of the browned butter. When you bite into these, you get a wonderful combination of nutty browned butter, crunchy topping, and sweet jam. I highly recommend these bars! Recipe after the cut or on my blog at The Crepes of Wrath.
Couldn't be easier!
Begin by making the crust. Brown 1 cup of unsalted butter over medium-high heat until it smells almost nutty and is a deep amber color (this usually takes me 5-8 minutes, depending on the heat). Make sure you stir often so it doesn't burn.
Pour the butter through a sieve and into a small bowl.
Place in the freezer until it's thickened and semi-solid (30-40 minutes).
Combine 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 1 1/2 cup flour, then mix in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or with your hands (I prefer to use my hands) until the dough forms. Press it down into a lined and/or greased 9x13 pan and chill for 15 minutes in the freezer.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes, until set and golden. Set aside.
Now make the filling by whisking together the eggs, sugar, and 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons flour (this might seem weird to add an extra 2 tablespoons, but the consistency of these bars were absolutely perfect and I would always add the extra 2 tablespoons). Brown another 5 ounces (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) of butter, strain, and slowly add to the egg mixture, whisking quickly so the eggs don't scramble. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
I added in some toffee bits because I had them, but they're completely optional.
Pour half of the egg mixture over the prepared crust.
Spoon dollops of jam over the batter (it doesn't have to be perfect by any means).
Spread the rest of the filling over the top of the jam (don't worry if the jam spreads a bit, it'll just look prettier when it's baked). Spoon any remaining jam over the top.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, until set. Mine took 30 minutes, and during the last 10 minutes I placed tinfoil over the bars because they were browning too quickly. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.
These are perfect with coffee or tea or just on their own!
Brown Butter Jam Bars
adapted from Gastroanthropology
The Crust:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For The Filling:
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup jam or jelly, dealer's choice
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. To make the crust, melt 1 cup of butter in a pan at medium-high heat till the butter starts to brown. When the butter is amber in color and smells slightly nutty, strain through a sieve into a heat-proof container, such as a small glass mixing bowl. Place in the freezer for 30-40 minutes until thickened and semi-frozen. Combine the powdered sugar and flour in a large bowl, then use a pastry cutter or your hands (I prefer my hands) and add in the butter until a dough is formed. Press into a lined and/or greased 9x13-inch pan and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until lightly golden and set, then remove from the oven and set aside.
2. To make the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour in a large bowl. Brown the remaining butter, then pour the butter into the egg mixture very slowly, whisking as you do it so the eggs don't scramble. Whisk in the vanilla.
3. Pour half of the filling over the baked crust, then spoon large dollops of the jam over the filling, reserving about quarter to top the bars with. Pour the rest of the filling over the jam, then spoon small dollop over the top with the remaining jam (you can add a bit extra jam if you feel like it needs it). Don't worry if it looks a little messy or weird, it'll look pretty when it's baked! Bake until the filling is golden brown in color, about 25 to 30 minutes, also at 375 degrees F. Allow to cool completely and cut into bars. Enjoy!
from The Crepes of Wrath