Fruity Fudgey Beer Blondies

It's July and I don't know about where you live, but here it has officially decided to be hot. It was off and on there for a bit, kind of more spring than summer, but I think the hot is finally here to stay.

With the hot weather, comes summer parties and thus, summer beers! Summer beers are my favorite. Basically, unless I'm having tacos, where Modelo is the only appropriate beer in my opinion, you'll see me with a tangerine, pineapple or watermelon beer. You can probably tell I'm not a hard core serious beer drinker. I'm also that chick that goes with the pink cocktail if there is one. I have no shame.

So I've been wanting to make a beer brownie, but was inspired to go the blondie route instead to use one of my favorite beers. Something light and fruity that's perfect for summer get togethers!

For this recipe, I went with Rhinegiest Peach Dodo, a peach beer from one of my favorite local breweries. If you're ever in the Cincinnati area, I would definitely check them out. They have an awesome rooftop bar, and if you are a more serious beer drinker, some great hoppy beers. Oh, and if you're not a serious beer drinker, they have a rosé ale! It's sweet and pink, so it's checked all my boxes! Pink drinks have never let me down.

But you can use whatever fruit beer you have on hand or can easily get! You just need to have corresponding syrup to go with it. Perhaps pineapple, pear or strawberry? Those are just a few that would be perfect for this.

Oh, I also made this recipe with actual white chocolate, so it's good and fudgey. None of that no-actual-chocolate-blondie nonsense that's really a glorified cookie bar. 

So to get started, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9x9 pan with parchment. Then take a 1/2 cup of your fruit beer and bring it to a boil. Keeping an eye on it, let it simmer until it's reduced by half, about 3-8 minutes. You want to make sure you have a 1/4 cup. Oh, one of the best things about this recipe is you get to drink the rest of that beer. Any excuse for day drinking is a-okay in my book. I mean, you can't let it go to waste, right? And nobody wants that beer flat later!

Set that aside, and in your double boiler, or microwave, melt your white chocolate chips with unsalted butter. You want to make sure it's completely smooth.

While letting that cool slightly, in a large bowl, whisk together your sugar, eggs, and corresponding fruit syrup, for me it was peach syrup from a jar of peaches. 

Add in your chocolate/butter mixture and whisk until combined. Then add in your beer syrup, holding back 1 tablespoon for your frosting, and continue to mix until that's fully incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour and salt, and then add to wet mixture. Stir until just combined.

Then add your additional white chocolate chip. Chocolate is one of those times more is more, right?

Pour into your prepared pan and stick it into the oven until browned on top and only very slightly jiggly when jiggled, about 35 to 45 minutes. It's a super moist recipe, and it's full of chocolate chips, so you won't get a dry cake tester. 

While the blondies are baking, make your frosting by whipping together your butter until fluffy, and then adding in powdered sugar, your reserved 1 tablespoon of beer syrup and 2 tablespoons of your fruit syrup. 

Once blondies are out of the oven and completely cooled, frost 'em, cut 'em up and enjoy with a well-deserved beer! 

BLONDIES INGREDIENTS makes 16 blondies
113 grams (1/2 cup) fruit beer, like peach, pineapple, pear or strawberry
3 tbs corresponding fruit syrup
263 grams (1 1/2 cups) white chocolate chips
170 grams (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
264 grams (1 1/3 cups) granulated sugar
3 eggs, about 150 grams
94 grams (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour
1 gram (3/4 tsp) salt
additional 263 grams (1 1/2 cups) white chocolate chips

FROSTING INGREDIENTS
85 grams (6 tbs) unsalted butter, room temperature
150 grams (1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
1 tbs beer syrup
2 tbs fruit syrup

BLONDIE INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 pan with parchment.
2. In a small saucepan, bring beer to a boil. Let simmer until reduced by half, about 3-8 minutes. Set aside to cool. 
3. In a double boiler, or microwave, melt your white chocolate chips with unsalted butter until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, and fruit syrup.
5. Add in chocolate/butter mixture and whisk until combined. Then whisk in your beer syrup, holding back 1 tablespoon for your frosting, and continue to mix until fully incorporated.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt, and add to wet mixture. Stir until just combined. 
7. Stir in additional white chocolate chips. 
8. Pour into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven until browned on top, about 40 to 45 minutes. It's a moist recipe, and it's full of chocolate chips, so you won't get a dry cake tester.
9. Set on cooling rack to cool completely. 
10. Meanwhile, make your frosting, see recipe below. 
11. Once completely cooled, remove from pan, and frost.
12. Cut into 16 squares and serve!

FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
2. Add in powdered sugar, turn mixer down to low at first, and mix until combined. 
3. Add in your reserved 1 tablespoon of beer syrup and fruit syrup and continue to mix until incorporated. 

NUTRITION (16 blondies)
calories: 275, total fat: 14 g, saturated fat: 8 g, trans fat: 0 g, cholesterol: 69 mg, sodium: 15 mg, potassium: 17 mg, total carbohydrate: 36 g, dietary fiber: 0 g, sugars: 31 g, protein: 2 g