Oak Bars (Blondies with Chardonnay)

I have a slight obsession with cookbooks, mostly of the dessert variety. Since there are very few cookbooks I absolutely know without a doubt I’ll love, I often check them out from the library before buying them. It’s nice to be able to test out a few recipes first. If I find myself reluctant to return it, I’ll buy the book. A few months ago, a friend mentioned the cookbook The Boozy Baker to me. Not to sound like a lush, but alcohol in desserts? I am so there. I have a long list of cookbooks that I need want, so I hadn’t yet purchased it. Although I wasn’t looking for it, I happened to find it at the library Saturday morning. The next day, I was making these oak bars. This one has officially been bumped to the top of the “cookbooks to buy” list.

These blondies are different than any I’ve made before. There’s only a ¼ cup of Chardonnay in them, but don’t underestimate the flavor it provides. Oak bars don’t taste like wine. Rather, they have flavor notes similar to that of the wine. The key to getting that flavor is to use an oak aged Chardonnay (hence the name oak bars). Have you ever tasted a barrel aged wine against a stainless steel aged wine of the same variety? The difference is instantly noticeable. With Chardonnays, the oak barrels (used in fermentation, aging or both) are what provide the wine with hints of butterscotch and vanilla. I generally prefer unoaked Chardonnays, which have a fruitier flavor with a crisper finish. After trying these blondies, though, I’m rethinking that preference. They’re bold and butterscotchy, even when you get a bite without the butterscotch chips. The toasted cashews add a wonderful flavor and crunch to the chewy blondies. As you can imagine, these taste great with a glass of Chardonnay.