Topped with Southern Pride

I love pralines. I mean really, who doesn't? That's including you folks that don't really like sweets. You can still enjoy a praline from time to time. This morning I found this recipe on RealSimple for praline topped blondies and I just couldn't stop myself. All I could think about was how I smelled all those freshly made pralines at the french market and I didn't buy a single one. My mind was stuck on filling up on a muffuletta from the central grocery. But I must say this was a fair replacement. When I tested the praline frosting I found myself exclaiming "c'est délicieux"! The only adjustment I made on the recipe was to double the entire thing. I could have tripled the praline batch even, but thats simply because I'd like to have a little extra to eat with a spoon. I almost forgot to mention that the pecans were freshly picked and shelled. Click below to read the recipe.

(Visit: RealSimple)


Ingredients
Blondies:
nonstick cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Topping:
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions
Heat oven to 350° F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with the cooking spray. Line the pan with 2 crisscrossed pieces of parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides; spray the parchment with the cooking spray.
Make the blondie: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and mix in the brown sugar and vanilla. One at a time, mix in the eggs; mix in the flour mixture until just combined (do not overmix).
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 25 to 28 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.
Make the praline topping: In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar and butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbling, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla, 1 tablespoon of water, and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Spread over the cooled blondies and sprinkle with the pecans. Let the topping set, 10 to 15 minutes.
Holding both sides of the paper overhang, lift the cake out of the pan, transfer to a cutting board, and cut into 16 squares. Store the blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.