Chocolate

Conga Blondie Bars with Chocolate Chips

February 13, 2015
0
0 Ratings
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • Makes 1 full 9x13" jelly roll pan of bar cookies
Author Notes

A friend ate one of these cookies and immediately gushed about how long it's been since she'd had a conga bar (huh?)-which is a cookie-type I hadn't previously heard of. Suffice to say this recipe is basically a classic conga bar, (aka blondie) based on the "NYT Chocolate Chip Cookie" recipe.

When I don't have both bread flour and cake flour around, I use a different recipe for soft and chewy cookies (that other recipe uses only all-purpose flour and cornstarch). When I do have bread flour and cake flour, this is the soft and chewy cookie to make! I also add cornstarch to these cookies; that is one variation from the NYT cookie recipe. And sometimes I use 1/4 cup less butter, too for a less gooey cookie.

These cookies have a soft center and lightly crunchy outside. I bake them in a 9"x13" jelly roll sheet (eta 12-10-18 AIR BAKE STYLE PAN), and cut them into squares. —purduetina

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Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks)
  • 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar (10 ounces)
  • 1 cup demarara (Turbinado) or regular sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 2/3 cups bread flour (8 1/2 ounces)
  • 2 cups cake flour (OR 1 cup cake flour, AND 1 cup all-purpose flour)
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 cups chocolate chips (any kind: dark, semi-sweet, milk, etc)
  • 1 cup (OPTIONAL) chopped nuts (walnuts, pistacchios, etc)
Directions
  1. In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix on low speed and add dry ingredients slowly mixing until just combined.
  2. Fold in chocolate chips. Add dough to a lightly greased jelly roll pan, pressing dough down and into shape.
  3. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean, and top is golden (not dark!) brown. Let cool completely (about an hour) before cutting into squares, as center is rather gooey and may not cut cleanly. If using a non-airbake or different sized baking pan, bars may need more or less baking time.

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