You love brownies. You love blondies. So what could be better than both in one bite? That was my line of reasoning as I recently planned a special dessert for the first anniversary of our engagement. (Yes, I’m into anniversaries.)

This recipe for double-decker brownie/blondies comes from Carine Goren’s dessert cookbook, Sweet Secrets. It’s a translation from the Hebrew original and can be (unintentionally) entertaining at times, but the photos are gorgeous and it’s brimming with baking tips.

Although my double-deckers tasted great, I have to say I was bit disappointed. For me, the problem was that this recipe gave a partial brownie experience and a partial blondie experience, when what I was hoping for was a total brownie AND total blondie experience. Perhaps that was too tall of an order.

Personally, when I bite into a brownie, I want a big mouthful of fudgey delight. This recipe gives you that to a lesser degree.

So were they good? Yes. Would I make them again? Probably. And accompanied by some little scoops of homemade ice cream, I won’t deny that as special desserts go, it wasn’t half-bad.

Try it out and let me know what you think. Were you also disappointed, or was this just the thing you had in mind?

Double-Decker Brownie/Blondies
From Sweet Secrets

Ingredients

Layer #1 (brownies)

2/3 cup unsalted butter (or margarine)
5 oz (150 g) bittersweet chocolate
¾ cup sugar*
½ cup dark brown sugar, packed*
3 eggs
¾ cup flour
1 heaping Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt

* I used a few spoonfuls less than what was called for when I measured the sugars for both layers, and the recipe was certainly none the worse for it…I would even argue it was better.

Layer #2 (blondies)

½ cup unsalted butter, melted (or margarine)
½ cup sugar
1 egg
¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 heaping cup flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
¾ cup chocolate chips

Directions

Layer #1: Brownies

1. Melt together the butter and sugar in the microwave or in a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water. Add both sugars and the eggs and beat to combine.

2. Add the flour, cocoa, and salt and mix until smooth and shiny.

3. Pour into a 9×13-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper and smooth out the top. Freeze for 20-30 minutes until the mixture sets.

Layer #2: Blondies

4. Preheat the oven to 340 F/170 C.

5. Mix the melted butter with both sugars, vanilla extract, and egg.

6. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until just evenly combined. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips.

Assemble and bake:

7. Remove the pan from the freezer and cover the brownie mixture with heaping tablespoons of the blondie mixture, completely covering the brownie mixture.

8. Bake for about 40 minutes until firm and golden. Cool thoroughly and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

9. Remove the double-decker from the pan using the edges of the parchment paper. Peel off the paper and place on a cutting board. Cut into squares and store refrigerated in a sealed container. May be served cold or at room temperature (for a softer texture).