Coconut Blondies with Toffee and Chocolate

This is my entry for the "Eat to the Beat" event that Elly of Elly says Opa! is hosting. I'm a couple of days late because I was out of town, but I asked if I could be a little late on my post and she said she could squeeze me in.

I browsed a ton of songs that had food mentioned in the lyrics but I just wasn't satisfied with any of them. Then today my friend Jen reminded of a song by Widespread Panic, which I never would have remembered on my own since I am not a huge fan. But after listening to the song a couple of times it really grew on me.

So now I needed a recipe with coconut. I wasn't about to make a pie, and I didn't want a savory dish since I had already planned tonight's dinner. I went to epicurious and typed in "coconut" and this lovely blondie recipe came up.

I modified it slightly by adding some toffee, and because I didn't have any brown sugar I used white sugar and about a Tbs. of maple syrup. I know the normal substitution for brown sugar involves molasses, but I just didn't have any on hand. Didn't matter though, these babies are good. No, good isn't the proper adjective to describe these. Let me say instead that they are fabulously delicious. Oh, and let me add that I thought a little chocolate ganache drizzle would be a nice addition, so I made some. : )

I like coconuts

You can break them open

They smell like ladies lying in the sunI like coconuts

You can break them open

They smell like ladies lying in the sun

And if I had my wayI'd give a coconut to everyone.....

Lyrics by Widespread Panic

Coconut Blondies with Toffee and Chocolate

(Epicurious)

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar (I used white sugar and a 1 1/2 Tbs. maple syrup)

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder (I used regular baking powder)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips ( I used 1 cup)

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, toasted and cooled

**I added about one cup toffee chips**

In a bowl with an electric mixer cream together the butter and the brown sugar, beating the mixture until it is light and fluffy, add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in the vanilla. In a small bowl whisk together the salt, the baking powder, and the flour, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and beat the batter until it is just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and the coconut, spread the batter evenly in a buttered and floured 13- by 9-inch baking pan, and bake it in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and crumbs adhere to a tester. Let the mixture cool completely in the pan on a rack and cut it into squares.