So continuing right where my previous post left off, about a week and a half ago I was invited to judge a Blondie Bake-off (a.k.a. THROWDOWN!) at Robyn's. On the drive over, I was briefed by my cousin Kristine that this Throwdown was a matter of principle against Kraft Kitchens and their (obviously) Kraft-product heavy recipes. Now, I'm not gonna hate on Kraft because getting their "What's Cooking" magazines in the mail while growing up definitely encouraged my love of baking, despite the gratuitous additions of Cool Whip and Peanut Butter. I used to make some pretty decent peanut butter cookie bars and no-bake cheesecakes, ok! Of course, now that I know a little better, my recipe and ingredient selection is also a little more sophisticated. But I do have a soft spot for Kraft and their easy, kid-friendly recipes. (Side note: yes, Cool Whip is an "edible oil product", hahaha. This was something I didn't realize until I accidentally stored a container in my fridge instead of the freezer for an extended period of time, and when I pulled it out I wondered why the heck there was a pool of what looked like canola oil at the bottom... then I actually read the label and ingredients and subsequently gagged, LOL!)
Anyway, Robyn had sent me a message earlier that day to say she'd ended up baking 3 kinds of blondies to compete against her friend Erin's batch à la Kraft. So needless to say I was excited as we arrived at her place. When she opened the door and greeted us, the warm smell of delicious baked goods was overwhelming. She had already plated 2 of her batches and was in the middle of slicing a particularly decadent-looking chocolate-covered batch. As Robyn discussed the variables she played with for each recipe (check out Planet Byn for the details) I patiently sipped my cup of tea with admirable decorum, considering all my instincts were telling me to start gobbling down the tempting treats laid before me. Finally, Erin arrived and revealed a cute batch of chocolate-drizzled blondies.
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| The competitors! |
We loaded our plates, refilled our teas, and began the task at hand. Now to reveal the results!
3rd runner-up: Pretzel M&M Blondies
I had high hopes for this batch, especially after hearing such great things about Pretzel M&Ms. While there was indeed a nice sweet/salty flavour to these, and although they certainly looked cute, they unfortunately lacked the moist chewiness so crucial to blondies and brownies. Don't know if this was a one-time thing though cuz I think Robyn mentioned making them previously to rave reviews, and also over at Bake at 350, they look fairly moist in the picture.
2nd runner-up: Chocolate Chip Blondies with Dark Chocolate Ganache
While I did like this batch, the ganache overwhelmed its "blondie-ness", especially considering there were already chocolate chips in the batter. And yes, because the batter was so thick in the pan, it was extra gooey in the middle. Not necessarily a bad thing, but definitely pushing the borders of blondie towards pudding or lava cake. The edges were more blondie-like. Great for a rich chocolate fix though!
1st runner-up: Milk Chocolate Blondies
Ok, ok. Over at Planet Byn, Erin's batch actually tied with my winner. It certainly had its merits, with its moist chewy texture and spot-on blondie flavour further boosted with the addition of Toblerone bits in the batter. I shouldn't have been surprised that ol' Kraft turned out a satisfying product, but I was, I was surprised that it beat out the other, fancier competitors that featured fleur de sel and dark chocolate ganache!
All in all, a strong entry, but I'm going to be honest (my opinion of course). While it was a fairly close margin between this batch and my choice for the winner, it was a margin nonetheless. And in the car, Ate Kristine admitted that she didn't think it was a tie either. Sorry Erin!
WINNER: Vanilla Bean Caramel Swirl Blondies
Perfectly chewy texture. Warm caramel and brown sugar flavours that complemented each other wonderfully. I have a soft spot for caramel/toffee (mmm Skor) so maybe I was a little biased. But in my books, these were the definite winner. And I think they were still pretty despite their lack of height!
All in all, there are really no losers in a Throwdown. Good chats, fun experimentation, a little learning, and lots of yummy in the tummy made everyone a winner. Head over to Planet Byn for complete blondie musings and observations, as well as Robyn's perfected blondie recipe.
To cap off our blondie adventure, and perhaps as a segue into a new throwdown, Robyn made Baked's sweet and salty brownies and dropped them off at my house a few days later. Special delivery indeed! She gave me quite a generous portion and I was planning to take pictures of them but I ended up eating them all before I got around to it, LOL! ("I'll just have one right now... there'll be enough for a photo op later" "Ok, don't feel like fiddling with my camera at the moment, but I only want one brownie anyway" "Only 2 left?? That's a pathetic photo op, might as well eat these last ones!") They were delicious and fudgy and definitely not made with Baker's chocolate! LOL. Can't wait for the brownie throwdown, and this time I think I'll actually compete! Thanks for everything, Byn!!
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