Banana Blondies with Chocolate Crust

Banana Blondies with Chocolate Crust
Source: New York Times

Makes about: 9×13 pan, or about 35 cookies, depending on how you cut
Prep time: 10 mins
Bake time: 45-55 mins

These were very sweet, very rich, and very buttery. They were really delicious, likely from the fact that it contains a TON of butter. The banana topping is especially rich because it’s got 1.5 sticks of browned butter goodness. This is also very easy to make!

Ingredients
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (1 1/4 cups), more for greasing pan
200 grams chocolate wafer cookies (to make about 3 cups crumbs), crushed into crumbs
55 grams light brown sugar (about 1/4 cup)
3 grams fine sea salt (about 1/2 teaspoon), plus a pinch
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
455 grams dark brown sugar (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons dark rum or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
130 grams all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
80 grams toasted walnuts, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375F and prepare 9×13’’ baking pan.
2. To make the crust: mix together the butter, chocolate cookie crumbs, brown sugar, and salt. Process in food processor until “damp sand.” Dump into pan, press to an even layer, and bake 7-10 minutes. Let cool.
3. Reduce oven to 350F.
4. Brown 12 tablespoons of butter (cook until foam subsides and butter turns a deep brown, 5 min). Let cool
5. Whisk together bananas, eggs, brown sugar, rum, and butter. Mix in flour, salt, walnuts. Pour over prepared crust
6. Bake 45-55 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.