Brittle and Jam Blonde Brownies

I live in Los Angeles. All of the stereotypes you’ve heard (or perpetuated) are true.  We enjoy our juice cleanses (like… a lot).  We wear ridiculously expensive yoga pants.  We drive everywhere, all the time, into traffic, with traffic, against traffic… so much traffic!  We are beach hippies (for real).  We are ladies who get our hair blown out like we’re going to movie premiers every night… because we’re probably going to movie premiers every night (this is not my particular reality).  Some of us care about the fancy cars that we drive, and the size of our diamonds.  Some of us care about our Priuses and hemp shirts.  We are everyone and we live together because we like sunshine always and forever.

One of my favorite things about Los Angeles is all of the awesome food people that live here.

Two of my favorite food people are Jessica Koslow of Sqirl Jam and Max Lesser of Morning Glory Confections.

Jessica makes the most lovely jams on the west coast.  I love her jams because they taste exactly like the California that I love.  Big, beautiful, like sunshine, earth, and quirk.

Max takes the simplicity of candy brittle and flips the script.  His Chai Tea and Cashew Brittle… I can’t even deal.  It’s all about honoring simplicity and nudging it with crazy fun.

I love what they do.  I love brownies.  Hence… the most awesome brownie smash-bang fusion ever.

 

A small pan of blonde brownies is just about the easiest thing to make.  No mixer required. No waiting to softened butter.

If you’ve got brown sugar and a cup of flour you’re mostly good to go.  Ok.. you also need an egg and a few other things, but you catch my drift.

As with most things in the kitchen, sharing is caring… even when it comes to brownie making.

Jessica and Max do the heavy-lifting of smearing and swirling the brownie batter.

These brownies are completely versatile.

The batter can be studded with candy brittle (I used Morning Glory Chai Cashew Brittle).

And!  The batter can be swirled with jam!

Wait… batter can be studded with brittle aaaaannnnddd swirled with jam.

It’s like rocket science, but way easier.

Try to tell me you aren’t obsessed with Raspberry & Fresh Lavender and Cashmere Nectarine Jam.  I won’t believe you.

Brittle Blonde Brownies give this dessert that extra chew.

The corner pieces are 83% more chewy/delicious/irresistible/and I’m-totally-calling-dibs.

Slice these suckers.

Generously please.

These brownies are buttery and sweet, with a gooey chewiness.  They’re delicious with brittle and jam.  They’re delicious with chocolate chips and toasted pecans.  Pistachios?  Yes!  They’re a base for whatever inspires me in the kitchen.  These brownies are like the soup of the dessert world.  I mean that with love, respect, and melted butter.

Incidentally, Sqirl jam in incredible on Buttermilk Biscuits, and Morning Glory Brittle is the perfect treat for sitting in Los Angeles traffic.  Tested.  Approved.

Thank you for letting me share.

If you’ve got brownies on the brain, you might also consider:

Triple Chocolate Black Bean Brownies

Ginger Walnut Chocolate Blondies

and Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownies

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