Browned Butter Pretzel & Butterscotch Chips Blondies

I've recently been searching for a fudgey type blondie recipe and finally, I managed to find one that looks promising. Undoubtedly, I gave it a try and the result came close to what I expected ( mine was baked too long ,thus the blondies were a bit dry...:) Given a problem known plus it's a big hit for my daughter and friends, it will definitely be made again sooner rather than later !!

The recipe ( slightly adapted from here )

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, browned

75 g dark brown sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coarsely chopped mini pretzels

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

6 caramels, unwrapped and diced into quarters

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
Place butter in a medium sauce pan and heat over medium-low to medium heat. Butter will melt, begin to bubble, foam, hiss, sputter, and brown specks will form in the bottom of the pan; this process takes approximately 2 to 4 minutes, give or take. During the process whisk frequently or nearly continuously and keep an extremely watchful eye on the butter. Brown it long enough to see browned bits and specks, but don't burn it. Butter can go from browned and nutty-smelling to burnt and inedible in less than one minute.Watch for the brown specks and once you see them, remove the pan from the burner, continuing to whisk for another 30 seconds or so. Transfer butter into large mixing bowl and allow it to cool for a few minutes.

To the melted butter, add the brown sugar and whisk to combine. Add the egg, vanilla, and stir to combine. Add the flour, salt, and stir until just combined, taking care not to over-mix or the blondies will be tough. Fold in the pretzels and butterscotch chips. Pour the batter into prepared pan, smoothing it lightly with a spatula or offset knife.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bars are about 90 to 95% done. The center should just barely be setting up and edges will be slightly pulling away from sides of pan. Remove pan from oven and evenly sprinkle caramel pieces over the bars. Lightly and carefully break the surface of the bars with the caramel pieces, poking them in past the surface layer and pressing down lightly; use caution so you don't burn your fingers. Return pan to oven for 3 to 6 minutes, or until caramels melt and turn into puddles and top surface of bars is set. Allow bars to cool for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.