Brown Butter, Buckwheat & Cardamom Bars

This recipe has attitude!

This is not just your regular cookie bar. If I were to label her, she would definitely be sassy with a side of classiness. The key ingredients - buckwheat, cardamom, & brown butter changes this bar from "yum, these are good" to "ohmygod who made these and can I marry them?!".

When milled into flour, buckwheat adds a nutty, earthy taste that pairs perfectly with the warm, caramel notes of the brown butter and slightly, pepperiness cardamom powder.

I believe browning butter is one of those life skills that should be taught to everyone alongside things like:  how to change a tire,  how to tip at a restaurant, and how to mince garlic. Everyone. should. know.  

These Brown Butter Buckwheat & Cardamom Bars are not only gluten free but free from

• grains

• refined-sugars

• soy

• corn

• legumes

• artificial flavours & additives

Bring these to your next party and you will for sure be the favourite!

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brown butter, buckwheat & cardamom bars

makes 12 bars

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup (213g) coconut sugar

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup (99g) maple sugar sugar

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 2 1/4 cups (270g) buckwheat flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 1/2 teaspoon cardamom

• 1 1/3 cup (226g) semisweet chocolate, wafers or chopped from a bar

• coarse salt, to sprinkle on top

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. First start off by making the brown butter. Place half the butter (113g) in a medium skillet and melt it over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. The butter will foam and froth as it cooks and start to crackle and pop. Once the crackling stops, keep a close eye on the melted butter, continuing to swirl the pan at intervals. The butter will become fragrant, and brown bits will form on the bottom. Once the bits are amber brown (about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes or so after the sizzling stops), remove the butter from the burner and pour it into a small bowl, brown bits and all. Allow it to cool for 20 minutes. 

2. Preheat your oven to 175C/350F. Line a 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.

3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the remaining 114g of butter with the coconut sugar for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in the vanilla. 

4. Pour the cooled brown butter into the bowl along with the maple sugar. Beat for 2 minutes, until smooth; the mixture will lighten in color and become fluffy. 

5. Add the eggs and beat for another minute.

6. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and cardamom, beating on low speed just until everything is thoroughly combined. 

7. Use a spatula to fold in the chopped chocolate. Evenly spread the batter in your prepared baking dish. Bake the bar in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until it starts to turn golden brown and the middle is set. Remove the bar from the oven and sprinkle them with course sea salt. Allow them to cool for 30 minutes. It will become easier to cut the longer you wait.

8. ENJOY!