Sun Valley chef Julie LaFleur, who created a healthy, tasty Red Barn Granola and named it after Sun Valley’s iconic landmark, recently revisited Marie’s Kitchen to show Marie Gallo how to make Cherry Brown Butter Blondie Bites using her Cherry Brown Butter granola.
The granola, which includes organic rolled oats, sliced almonds, organic coconut, pepitas and Utah grown Montmorency dried tart cherries, is available at Atkinsons’ Market and other local stores. It is also available online at https://www.redbarngranola.com/shop.
INGREDIENTS
BROWN BUTTER BASE
¾ cup unsalted butter, browned
¾ cup packed brown sugar
4 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
1 ½ tablespoons honey
WET INGREDIENTS
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 additional egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cherry extract
1.5 tablespoons heavy cream
DRY INGREDIENTS
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoons fine sea salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
INCLUSIONS
1 ½ cups Red Barn Granola-Cherry Brown Butter
¾ cup chopped dried cherries
METHOD
Brown the butter over medium heat until milk solids are golden and aromatic. Transfer to mixing bowl and cool 8 to 10 minutes until warm but fluid.
Whisk brown sugar, granulated sugar and honey into the warm butter until smooth and glossy. whisk in eggs and yolk one at a time until fully emulsified. Add vanilla, cherry extract and cream.
Whisk flour salt and baking powder in a separate bowl. Fold into wet ingredients just until combined. Do not overmix.
Fold in granola and chopped dried cherries evenly. Batter will be thick, rich and spoonable.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 8-by-8-inch pan with parchment, leaving overhang on two sides. Press batter evenly into pan and level carefully. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.
Pull when top is set and lightly golden, center is just set and soft and toothpick shows very moist crumbs, not wet batter. Do not wait for a clean toothpick.
Cool in pan at least 90 minutes before cutting. Chill two hours or overnight for clean cuts. Lift slab out using parchment and cut into desired sizes.