Danish Blondes    July, 2015.

Immigrants made the USA what it is today.  People came here to work and create a better life.  (still true today)  One of my grandmothers emigrated from Denmark and I am certain a close replica of this recipe was tucked inside her mother’s satchel upon landing on Ellis Island.  I still remember her Chicago kitchen filled with the aroma of delightful spices.  We bake this recipe for our Chelsea Market bakery.  We usually top it with Coffee-Caramel Icing (in Fat Witch Baker Sale cookbook) but these are deliciously intriguing without any frosting!   BTW, I often take the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island even in the winter.  Both are magnificent sites.  Call me sentimental! 

This recipe is on pages 131 and 132 of Fat Witch Bake Sale. 

• Ingredients
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter at
    room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar 
• ¼ cup granulated sugar 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• Directions
• Preheat the oven to 350 ℉.
• Grease a 9" square baking pan with butter or
    cooking spray.
• Dust the pan with flour and tap out the excess.
• Beat the butter and sugars in a large mixing
    bowl until light and fluffy, using an electric
    mixer.
• Beat in the eggs and vanilla. 
• Measure the flour, baking powder, salt
    cardamom, cloves and ginger and sift into
    the butter mixture.
• Beat together until incorporated and no
    trace of dry ingredients remains.
• Spread the batter evenly in the prepared
    baking pan.
• Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or
    with only moist crumbs (no batter).
• Cool in the pan on a rack for at least one hour.
• Cut into bars just before serving
• If you put icing on the top, after you frost this bar, put in the refrigerator for at least
    one hour.