Brown Butter Nut Bars, version 3.0

Those who saw the SF Chronicle's food section yesterday probably noticed the review of former Google Chef Charlie Ayers' new cookbook, Food 2.0. Now, let's just say, it's kind of a weird book.  The organization is all willy-nilly, the recipes don't have any headnotes (wuh?), and the juxtaposition of Ayers' commitment to, say, both whole milk and wheatgrass is tough to reconcile.  That said, the photos are quite lovely and Ayers comes off as a real chef, someone so enthusiastic and happily unpolished that his creative juices kind of sploosh all over the place.  And that's refreshing.  It also gives the reader unspoken license to take liberties as well.

And that's what I've done.  I started with his recipe for Coconut Oatmeal Bars with Chocolate Chips and healthified it, but only to an extent.  I swapped in white whole wheat flour for the refined and reduced the amount of butter by just a smidge.  I also browned the butter to give it a nutty, caramelly flavor and took out the coconut, just this once. Finally, to make the bars mid-morning-friendly, I exchanged the chocolate chips for a bevy of mixed nuts.  Now before you grab the mouse and hot-foot it over to another blog, keep in mind that I'm a big fan of the chocolate chip.  We're tight.  We're buds.  But I can't very well nibble a chocolate chippy thing at 10am because who are we kidding -- at that point it's a brownie, or a blondie if you're being technical. 

So here I offer you my version of Ayers' original, perfect for a morning binge.

...

Recipe for Brown Butter Nut Bars, version 3.0

I used equal parts hazelnuts, almonds, and pistachios, but you can choose your favorite combination of nuts.  Just be sure to toast them.

[Makes 9 normal-sized squares or 16 minis]

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup white whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup oats

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 cup mixed nuts (be creative), definitely toasted but also, if desired, coarsely chopped

1 egg

1-1/2 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 teaspoon each vanilla and almond extracts

Preheat oven to 350.  Line an 8"-square baking pan with parchment and coat with nonstick spray.  Set aside.

In a small saucepan, brown the butter.  To the uninitiated, this means melt it over medium-low heat.  Then continue cooking, stirring occasionally with a heatproof rubber spatula, until it turns nut-colored and smells nice and toasty.  Do not let it burn.  Cool.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Stir in oats, brown sugar, and nuts.

In a small bowl, whisk together cooled butter, egg, oil, and extracts.  Pour into sifted mixture and stir well until all flour particles are absorbed.

Transfer to the baking pan and smooth the top.  Bake 23 minutes or thereabouts, until golden brown, firm, and a happy nut-smell pervades the entirety of your house/apartment/neighborhood.  Let cool.  Cut into squares.

printable pdf

Comments

[Charmian Christie]

Browning the butter? Sounds great. And I like how you swapped in nuts. I love choco chips, too, but double chocolate it can be overkill.

I'll have to give this recipe a whirl.

Now you've got me hungry...

[Cheryl]

Yes, Charmian, give them a try. (And no one needs to know if you chuck in a fistful of chocolate chips. Or a bucketful.)

[Sheryl Cardozo]

These look great. When will they (Bill G? Steve J?) invent web tasting options so rather than having to do the cooking, I could just taste yours?

In other news we were talking about Kangaroo last night and I was asking for recipes. Friends have mostly thrown it on the barbie here, but one suggested that she wanted to try to make a bolgonese with it. Apparently its cheap- well, here, anyway, and healthier than beef. Supposedly only a little gamey- maybe there's a trick to keep it from getting too tough? So, I'm throwing it out there if you want to get xotic...not sure where you find 'roo in So Cal though!

[Cheryl]

You make an excellent point, Sheryl, but honestly I'd rather have the web do my laundry than cook my food. To each her own, I guess.

As for kangaroo, hmmm, I'll have to think on that one. Just please don't ask me for any koala recipes.

[Lisa Hoffman]

Ok I will now delve into swapping out white whole wheat for my usual white flour in baking. My oldest is moaning as she reads over my shoulder. Will it make my cookies heavier? Do I have to make any adjustments. I think I will try the recipe but swap back in the chocolate chips and coconut. I'm not adverse to a 10 am treat. Just don't tell me the calorie count!!!

[Cheryl]

Lisa, I wouldn't normally swap 100% of your all-purpose flour for the white whole wheat because it will indeed make your baked goods heavier, but in this case there was only 1/2 cup so it wasn't a big deal.

And put in the chips and coconut if you like, but reduce the nuts proportionally so the ratio of dry:wet ingredients isn't thrown off.

[ihatetoast]

the pdf is for a smoothie. help!

[Cheryl]

Argh! Thanks for the heads-up, ilovetoast. I've fixed the pdf!