Blondies with Chocolate, Dates, and Shredded Coconut

When it comes to food, I have no self control. I want I want I want. And then I want some more.

I've got a weak spot for uber rich desserts. The richer the better. Sometimes I hear people talk about a dessert, claiming it is so rich that they can only have a few bites. I could probably eat a whopping platter of the stuff.

Did you know that cats/felines cannot detect "sweet?" Yep, that's right. They do not have the T1R2 taste receptor that is one of the components of sweet. No wonder cats and I don't click (just kidding...maybe).

Today I made some sweet blondies for my favorite blondie's birthday. I added a mixture of chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and chopped dates to the batter. The dates and chocolate chips packed quite the sweet punch, and (gasp) I may have erred on the side of too sweet. If I just add a touch less sugar next time, no one would know, and the natural sweetness of the dates could really shine.

You ask me, "What is the difference between a blondie and a brownie?" According to cakespy,

"Generally, a blondie is accepted as a type of brownie--but not so much a brownie flavor, more like an identical cousin. An identical, albino cousin. Generally, it uses vanilla or butterscotch base instead of chocolate, and thus has a lighter hue which gives it its name. In our opinion, the finest blondies will have a texture (though not taste) halfway between a cakey and a fudgy brownie: that is to say, delightfully chewy, rich, and dense."

These blondies are super easy to throw together and you can choose whatever add-ins suit your fancy. Bourbon, walnut, and chocolate is another favorite combination of mine (just add an extra tablespoon of flour to soak up some of the bourbon). I must confess, however, that I made a minor mistake in the process. I was supposed to melt the butter but intsead I just used softened butter and creamed it together with the brown sugar. I'm assuming that my batch came out more like a cookie than a fudgey cakey texture, but either way these blondies are bomb!

Oh, and I may have purposely under-baked these, just a tad.

Fresh and hot out of the oven, the melty oozing chocolate just kills me.

Blondies with Chocolate, Dates, and Shredded Coconut
adapted from SmittenKitchen

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar NOTE: If using dates, I might cut my brown sugar down by a few tablespoons.
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
A pinch of salt
1 cup flour

3/4 or 1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup shredded coconut
3/4 to 1 cup chopped dates

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 by 8 inch baking pan.
2. Melt the butter and let cool slightly. Mix it with the brown sugar until smooth.
3. Add the egg, then the vanilla and salt.
4. Stir in the flour.
5. Add in the chocolate, coconut, and dates or any additions of your choice.
6. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until set in the middle (Although a tad gooey is a-okay in my book).